BAE Systems Acquires UK-Based In-Space Missions

BAE Systems announced today it acquired In-Space Missions, a UK company that designs, builds and operates satellites and satellite systems.

In-Space Missions was founded in 2015 and is based in Hampshire with more than 30 employees. It specialises in offering space services for activities covering earth observation, satellite communications, navigation, and space science and exploration.

The company also has an innovative approach to combining satellites into a payload rideshare, allowing multiple payloads to be launched and operated together as one satellite in space. This ‘Faraday Service’ not only reduces cost and time to launch, but also contributes to space sustainability by reducing the number of separate satellites. In-Space Missions launched its first combined satellite in June, carrying six payloads for customers including Airbus, Lacuna, SatixFy and Aeternum, as well as In-Space Missions’ own Babel payload, and continues to operate them in orbit. The Faraday Service also allows for digital payloads to be uploaded to In-Space Missions’ proprietary, software defined, ultra-wideband RF platform - reducing the time to orbit for customers from years to days.

BAE Systems already provides space products in waveforms, electronics, antenna and digital signal processing and analytics, with 20 years’ experience in ground-based signal processing for various space agencies. In-Space Missions adds the capability to create, launch and operate complete satellites, helping to enable sovereign, secure and resilient data sharing between different platforms in sea, air, land and space.