Britain faces the potential loss of a critical capability to monitor and track satellites with exceptional precision if government funding for the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank is not extended, international experts have warned. The telescope, a 76-metre radio facility operational for nearly seven decades, plays a dual role in both scientific research and national security amid increasing militarization of space.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) announced it would cease funding the e-MERLIN radio astronomy network, of which the Lovell Telescope is a key component, after March 2028. This decision terminates approximately £2.8 million in annual support, a move that has raised concerns among researchers who emphasize the telescope’s strategic value beyond pure science. Professor Simon Garrington, associate director of Jodrell Bank Observatory, cautioned that the telescope risks falling out of use without continued investment.

One of the unique strengths of the Lovell Telescope lies in its ability to detect and track small objects in geostationary orbit—approximately 22,000 miles above Earth—down to the size of a football. Professor Marco Martorella, a radar specialist at the University of Pisa, highlighted that the telescope, when integrated with American radar transmitters, uses a technique called long baseline multistatic radar to identify targets only tens of centimetres wide, far surpassing the capability of any single radar system currently available worldwide.

This combined radar and radio telescope system enables real-time tracking with a minimal delay of about two seconds. Martorella noted that adapting radar transmitters for use within the UK could enhance sovereignty by reducing reliance on foreign infrastructure. The research team behind this development has been recognized with NATO’s Science and Technology Excellence Award, the alliance’s highest scientific honor.

Tony Beasley, director of the U.S. National Radio Astronomy Observatory, described the collaboration as “at the bleeding edge” of space monitoring technology. He emphasized the dual-use potential of the Jodrell Bank facility for both scientific and defense applications, urging British authorities to carefully consider the broader implications of shutting down the telescope.

Historically, Jodrell Bank has contributed significantly to national security efforts. The Lovell Telescope tracked Sputnik, the world’s first artificial satellite, in 1957 and, during the Cold War, supported the RAF, Ministry of Defence, and intelligence agencies by monitoring Soviet missile launches and spacecraft activities.

Despite the telescope’s steel framework dating from the mid-20th century, Garrington underscored that its receivers, data links, and signal processing systems have undergone continuous modernization, significantly enhancing its performance. He pointed to major investments in comparable facilities abroad, such as China’s 110-metre Qitai telescope under construction, as evidence of the ongoing strategic relevance of large radio telescopes.

The potential loss of funding and operation for the Lovell Telescope raises critical questions about Britain’s future capabilities in space situational awareness and defense as space becomes an increasingly contested domain.