U.S., UK Space Commands execute first joint satellite maneuvers

WASHINGTON — U.S. Space Command and U.K. Space Command announced Sept. 18 they have conducted their first-ever coordinated satellite maneuvers, known as rendezvous and proximity operations, just months after the U.S. revealed it had conducted similar operations with France.

The operation marks an expansion of allied cooperation in the increasingly militarized space domain, where nations are developing capabilities to protect critical satellite infrastructure from potential threats.

U.S. Space Command said the maneuvers with the United Kingdom took place September 4-12, 2025.

Rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) are space maneuvers where two or more satellites or spacecraft intentionally move close to each other in orbit. The latest U.S.-U.K. operation involved a carefully controlled maneuver where a U.S. satellite repositioned into close range of a U.K. spacecraft to inspect, monitor and validate its status. No further details about the spacecraft were disclosed. 

“This operation was a first of its kind for U.K. Space Command and represents a significant increase in operational capability,” said Maj. Gen. Paul Tedman, commander of U.K. Space Command.

Olympic Defender

These cooperative RPOs are being done as part of Multinational Force Operation Olympic Defender, a U.S.-led initiative aimed at bolstering international cooperation in space defense. The U.K. was also among the first nations to join Olympic Defender.

Operation Olympic Defender was established in 2019 as concerns mounted over the weaponization of space by potential adversaries, particularly following reported anti-satellite weapon tests by Russia and China. The coalition focuses on information sharing, coordinated training, and joint operations to protect member nations’ space assets.

U.S. Space Command, via Operation Olympic Defender, has cultivated a coalition now at seven members (U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, and the U.K.) focused on defensive space activities, including RPO.

“This coordinated maneuver between two allies validated the interoperability that’s foundational to our collective defense,” said Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess, commander of U.S. Space Forces-Space and Combined Joint Force Space Component Command.

In early 2025, U.S. Space Command and the French Space Command executed their first-ever bilateral RPO, maneuvering U.S. and French military satellites in close proximity to one another and to a third-party satellite.

The U.S. Space Force’s 2025 International Partnership Strategy highlights such coalition missions as important for deterrence and warfighting in space that require coordinated allied maneuvers.

The commander of U.S. Space Command Gen. Stephen Whiting said practicing joint rendezvous and proximity operations with allies is important to enhance coalition space security, improve interoperability, and strengthen deterrence against adversaries in the increasingly contested space domain.