A innovative UK satellite named CarbSAR is set to launch on Sunday, featuring a radar antenna made from knitted tungsten wire. Developed by Oxford Space Systems in partnership with Surrey Satellite Technology, it aims to capture high-resolution images of Earth's surface. The technology could pave the way for a future defence satellite network.
The CarbSAR satellite, weighing 140 kilograms, represents a novel approach to space technology. Its radar antenna is formed from ultra-fine tungsten wire coated in gold, produced on a modified standard industrial knitting machine. "It’s a very standard, off-the-shelf industrial machine used for knitting jumpers. All we’ve done is add some bells and whistles to let it stitch our special yarns," explains Amool Raina, production lead at Oxford Space Systems (OSS).
The mesh fabric is cut into pieces and sewn together to create a 3-millimetre-wide disc, stretched over 48 carbon-fibre ribs to form a parabolic dish for radar imaging. For launch, the structure collapses to a 75 cm diameter by winding the ribs radially around a central hub. Once in orbit, the ribs snap back, deploying the antenna precisely. "But for the imaging we want to do, we also need to unfurl with precision – to get that perfect parabolic shape," says Sean Sutcliffe, OSS’s chief executive. Testing confirms the mesh stays within a millimetre of the ideal shape.
CarbSAR is designed to image objects as small as 50 cm, sufficient for detecting tanks and planes, even in all weather and at night. This capability addresses the UK's lag in space radar development despite early European leadership in the 1990s. Success could lead to adoption in the British Ministry of Defence's Oberon constellation, part of the ISTARI programme, later this decade.
UK Space Command will monitor the deployment, expected two days post-launch. "CarbSAR is a testament to the innovation and collaboration of one of the UK’s most forward-thinking space companies," states Major General Paul Tedman, its commander. The project highlights growing interest in small radar satellites for military intelligence, as seen in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
