UK hires Astroscale for $20 million LEDA military space mission

The UK Ministry of Defence awarded Astroscale UK a £15 million contract to build, launch and operate the LEDA military spacecraft, supported by BAE Systems and Open Cosmos. The mission will investigate rendezvous and proximity operations, examining how spacecraft maneuver near other satellites and how Britain could respond to threats involving such activity. The multiyear programme applies Astroscale’s close-approach and inspection experience to military space operations rather than announcing an operational satellite already in orbit. Revealed on October 28, the award adds to the company’s existing British defence work, with LEDA’s launch date and detailed spacecraft configuration undisclosed.