In the UK the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) reported on 18 July that it had acquired its first satellite ground control station to support future space research activities for the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

Based at Portsdown West, Hampshire, the ground station will use its 6.3m diameter antenna to direct satellites in both low-Earth and geosynchronous orbits, and will form a core part of the Dstl Space Science & Technology (S&T) programme.