Air Vice-Marshal Godfrey undertook his first visit to RAF Fylingdales since becoming the inaugural Commander of UK Space Command recently.
RAF Fylingdales in North Yorkshire, which falls under UK Space Command, provides a continuous ballistic missile early warning service to the UK and US Governments.
As a key part of the Allied Space Surveillance Network, the unit monitors objects when re-entering the atmosphere and also supports the US missile defence system.
Air Vice-Marshal Godfrey spent much of his visit inside the Space Operations Room, meeting the teams that track objects in space and learning how Fylingdales plays a key role keeping space safe.
“Fylingdales, alongside the SKYNET satellite communication constellation, are jewels in the crown of the nation. It has contributed to the defence of the UK, and its allies, non-stop since 1963 and is one of two founding units of UK Space Command. With a heritage of almost 60 years defending the nation and providing Space Domain Awareness, it cements Fylingdales’ place, not only in the nation’s history but its future in understanding events occurring in space.”
Air Vice-Marshal Godfrey
The Solid-State Phased Array Radar (SSPAR) at RAF Fylingdales is a joint enterprise between the United States and the United Kingdom. The SSPAR is the only 3-faced RADAR providing 360° coverage within the space surveillance network, and is capable of detecting objects the size of a coke can 3000 miles into space.
