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SKYNET
5D
SKYNET 5D Background and technical
overview.
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SKYNET 5D is the fourth satellite of the UK's SKYNET 5 military communications programme. It is somewhat unusual because, unlike 5A, 5B and 5C, it was originally built as a spare/augmentation spacecraft and its history is less straightforward.
The SKYNET 5 system was designed and built by Astrium (now Airbus Defence and Space) and provides secure military satellite communications, principally using UHF and X-band/SHF systems. UK MOD material describes the SKYNET 5 satellites as highly capable military communications spacecraft.
There is documented pirate/unauthorised radio activity associated with SKYNET 5D, and there is a particularly interesting recent report from January 2026.
Recent SKYNET 5D pirate activity
A satellite-monitoring report from January 2026 identified Russian-language pirate/unauthorised SCPC traffic through SKYNET 5D at approximately 52.75°E. The observer described multiple users transmitting on slightly different frequencies, with several people talking over one another, similar to CB-style chatter.
The particularly interesting part is that this wasn't the traditional 255-MHz UHF SATCOM pirate activity associated with older FLTSATCOM/UFO satellites. The 2026 observations were made in X-band around 7.305 GHz
Details
| Satellite: |
Skynet
5D |
| Norad ID: |
39034 |
| Operator: |
UK military |
| Status: |
Operational
over the Indian Ocean. |
| Frequency Range: |
240 -
270 MHz VHF Down Link
X Band:
7 - 8 GHz
|
| Mode: |
FM |
| Altitude [km]: |
35800
km |
| Orbital position |
Longitude:
52.75° |
| Tracking: |
https://www.n2yo.com/?s=39034&live=1 |
Channel
confirmation was achieved by monitoring the channel frequency for
consistency with the band plan, verifying the bandwidth and antenna
targeting to assess the SNR (signal-to-noise ratio).
|
|
Bandwidth |
Status |
| 245.950 MHz |
38kHz |
Active / reserve?
Confirmed
(38kHz) 26 Sept, 2026 |
| 247.450 MHz |
30kHz |
Confirmed
(38kHz) 26 Sept, 2026 |
| 249.890 MHz |
34kHz |
|
| 253.950 MHz |
38kHz |
|
| 254.730 MHz |
34kHz |
|
| 253.700
MHz |
25kHz |
Same
allocation as Skynet 5A |
| 260.900 MHz |
38kHz |
|
| 262.000 MHz |
34kHz |
|
Reception Reports
References
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Page initiated 25 September, 2026
Page
last revised 25 September, 2026
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