SatSense has secured a contract from the Mining Remediation Authority (MRA) to provide satellite ground-motion monitoring across former coalfields in mainland UK. The Leeds-based Earth observation company says the agreement will put the UK’s coal-mining legacy under nationwide operational monitoring from space for the first time.
Under the contract, SatSense will deliver InSAR data into the MRA’s systems through an API and the information will complement ground-based monitoring. This will give teams a weekly national view of ground and structural movement to support the MRA’s statutory work protecting communities above historic mine workings.
“Satellite monitoring enables the MRA to instantly assess that movement across its whole coal estate, rather than site by site.”
Dr Matthew Bray, CEO, SatSense
What is InSAR?
InSAR, short for Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar, compares radar images of the same place taken on different dates. By measuring very small changes in the radar signal’s return, analysts can identify whether the ground or an asset is moving towards or away from the satellite, often to millimetre scale. It does not replace site investigation, but it is particularly useful for finding where a large portfolio needs closer attention before an issue becomes visible on the ground.
Open and commercial satellite data
InSAR services can draw on both open and commercial radar imagery. The Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission provides free and open C-band SAR data with broad coverage, making it a valuable foundation for regional monitoring and long-term analysis. Commercial SAR constellations can add different revisit rates, resolutions, acquisition geometries or tasking options when a monitoring programme needs more frequent observations or a tailored collection plan. The MRA and SatSense announcement does not specify the imagery sources used for this contract.
A commercial signal for operational EO
This is a strong commercial win because the value lies not simply in supplying imagery but in integrating interpreted ground-motion information into a public body’s everyday risk-management systems. It offers a useful model for EO companies working with infrastructure owners and public authorities to combine wide-area satellite coverage with clear workflows, existing field evidence and a route for users to act on prioritised alerts.
Source: SatSense, 14 October 2026.