Oxfordshire-based satellite firm Open Cosmos has been certified as an approved supplier for the Ministry of Defence’s Tactical Communication System (TacSys) framework, a long-term procurement vehicle with an estimated value of up to £8bn ($10.8bn).
The government’s Commercial Agency (GCA) selected Open Cosmos to provide satellite connectivity via its low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation, ConnectedCosmos, as part of wider efforts to establish the UK’s sovereign communications infrastructure.
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Running until June 2034, TacSys enables the integration of private sector technologies into the Ministry of Defence (MoD)-owned systems to deliver secure, resilient communications.
To obtain approved status, Open Cosmos’ satellite design and mission delivery record were assessed against the framework’s core criteria, which include interoperability, rapid deployment, and alignment with the MoD’s goals for national space sovereignty.
Open Cosmos’ ConnectedCosmos LEO constellation is designed to support the UK government’s aim of developing a robust, sovereign communications architecture, reducing dependence on international satellite mega-constellations.
The system’s use of Optical Inter-Satellite Links (ISL) allows for gatewayless data transfer, with information routed directly between satellites, bypassing terrestrial infrastructure and undersea cables.
Open Cosmos founder and CEO Rafel Jordà Siquier said: “The British government recognises the need for a modern, sovereign-controlled satellite network over the UK, one which will not only deliver high speed connectivity, but one that offers secure data transfer and layered architecture options for future readiness.
“We want to meet users where they are, and our selection as a key partner in this programme is a stamp of approval that we are taking the right approach.”
ConnectedCosmos is positioned as a multi-layer LEO architecture and will provide a sovereign space and data layer in support of the MoD’s £7.5bn Digital Backbone and Targeting Web initiatives.
The company stated that by combining Internet of Things (IoT) sensing and broadband communications within a unified orbital network, ConnectedCosmos aims to deliver rapid, machine-speed data sharing for improved situational awareness and response.
Within the TacSys framework, Open Cosmos’ offering is expected to support secure, closed-loop communication and real-time intelligence delivery to tactical users, as well as monitoring of sovereign assets.
The company said this capability will allow government users to detect threats, monitor operations, and act on space-derived intelligence at the tactical edge.
