New MoD Skynet satellite to protect UK troops abroad

  • MOD
  • space
A satellite which will benefit the UK Armed Forces has been launched into space. Credit: MoD

A satellite which will provide secure military communications for UK Armed Forces has been launched into space, the Ministry of Defence announced.

The satellite will benefit personnel deployed in Afghanistan and other parts of the world, including the Falkland Islands, Cyprus and on ships at sea.

Pictures released by the MoD show the moment the Skynet 5D was launched from French Guiana, South America.

It is the fourth satellite of the Skynet 5 project to be put into space since 2007.

When in space, Skynet 5D will travel at speeds of around 6,200 miles per hour and is expected to cover around 765 million miles during its time in orbit.