Written by John Yates The United Kingdom’s (UK) Skynet 6 satellites are obsolete before they have even been launched. So, what should the next generation of British Military Satellite Communications (MILSATCOM) satellites look like? The four Skynet 5 satellites were launched into Geostationary Orbit (GEO) between 2007 and 2012. Assuming a typical design life of 15 years, the first would have exceeded its design life from 2022 and the remainder from 2027, to be replaced by the Skynet 6 satellites. Commercial satellites often remain in use beyond their design life, but that is not a desirable scenario for satellites used in potentially critical situations, such as MILSATCOM.
