Three British-built Azalea satellites, developed by BAE Systems, have entered low Earth orbit following their launch on 28 November 2025 aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-15 rideshare mission.
Accompanied by a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite from Finnish company Iceye, the group forms a new four-satellite cluster designed to deliver intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data to the UK’s defence, security, and civil sectors.
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Exolaunch managed the deployment of the satellites, with initial communications established during three contact windows between 23:05 and 04:55 GMT.
The Azalea satellites use radio frequency (RF) monitoring technology, while the SAR satellite provides radar imaging that can penetrate cloud cover.
This configuration enables the cluster to process RF and SAR data in orbit and transmit information directly to decision-makers across land, sea and air.
The capability is intended to support protection of armed forces, critical infrastructure monitoring, and detection of illegal maritime activity.
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By GlobalDataEach Azalea satellite weighs about 150 kilograms (kg) and contains the Azalea Enhanced Software Defined Radio, which BAE Systems designed, built, and operates.
The payload employs AI for onboard processing of data, converting it into intelligence that is securely sent back to Earth. Operators can remotely update or reconfigure the system software while satellites remain in orbit.
The formation flies at an altitude of around 350 miles, travelling at approximately 7.6 kilometres per second and completing an orbit every 90 minutes.
Over the coming months, BAE Systems will conduct trials using data from the cluster in collaboration with customers to evaluate applications such as intelligence gathering and disaster relief response.
BAE Systems digital intelligence business group managing director Andrea Thompson said: “Building on decades of experience in defence, security and space innovation, our Azalea mission reflects the critical role space plays in defence and national security, offering a unique vantage point of Earth which enables us to better understand and respond to today’s complex threats.
“This cutting-edge technology is designed to deliver near real-time, space-based insights directly to users, empowering them to make informed decisions that help protect the UK and its allies. I’m incredibly proud of the team for their work to boost the UK’s space capability.”
