NSSLGlobal is providing satellite communications support for the Full Circle veterans’ sailing expedition around the UK. The voyage is carrying the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 flag on a 2,000-nautical-mile route.

NSSLGlobal has equipped the tall ships Pellew and Spirit of Falmouth with broadband satellite connectivity and handheld satellite voice phones for emergencies. It is also providing installation, crew training and round-the-clock technical support throughout the journey.

Organised by Turn to Starboard and Full Circle, the 13-week expedition involves up to 70 ex-forces veterans taking part in different legs of the voyage. It is travelling anticlockwise around the UK, stopping at 22 ports before returning to Falmouth.

Crew members include veterans who are wounded, injured or living with mental health challenges. Organisers say the expedition is designed to support physical and mental health while raising awareness of the Invictus Games in Birmingham.

The sailing challenge also aims to raise GBP £300,000 to help Turn to Starboard buy another tall ship and expand support for former service personnel.

Connectivity at sea

The communications links are being used for welfare, safety and media purposes during the expedition. They help crew members stay in contact with family and allow the voyage to be documented as it moves between ports around the UK.

The project aligns with NSSLGlobal’s existing work in defence and maritime welfare. The company has worked with the Royal Navy and organisations including Ocean Youth Trust.

NSSLGlobal also highlighted its previous support for veterans involved with Turn to Starboard, including former soldier Craig Wood. Wood, who lost both legs and his left hand in Afghanistan, spent 90 days sailing solo across the Pacific Ocean, becoming the first triple amputee to complete the journey.

Sally-Anne Ray, chief executive of NSSLGlobal, described the impact the voyage is having on those involved.

“We are delighted to support Turn to Starboard & Full Circle with communications. This hugely uplifting project is using the experience of sea and sail to give our veterans potentially life-changing opportunities to rebuild confidence, strength and a sense of connection in the face of all kinds of physical and mental challenges. We have been lucky to meet some of the organisers and crew at numerous port stays and key events throughout the UK. Staff from our different offices have been on board and experienced first-hand the great atmosphere and teamwork. Having talked with fellow ex-service personnel, it is clear that this expedition is having a great impact, and being able to stay in touch and record the trip is also key,” Ray said.

Veteran support

Turn to Starboard was founded to support Armed Forces personnel affected by military operations through sailing and seafaring activities. Based in Falmouth, the charity works with veterans and their families as they move beyond military service.

For the Full Circle expedition, reliable communications form part of the practical support structure for the crews. Organisers say that matters both for safety at sea and for maintaining contact with relatives during demanding stages of the voyage.

“Reliable communications play an important role in keeping our crews connected, supported and safe throughout the Full Circle Expedition. NSSLGlobal’s connectivity support enables those on board to stay in touch with loved ones and share their recovery journeys as they carry the Invictus Games Flag around the UK,” said Sally Terry, chief executive of Turn to Starboard.

The route links all four nations of the UK and uses two traditionally rigged, wooden-hulled tall ships. By carrying the Invictus flag between ports, organisers are using the voyage as a public-facing symbol of recovery and service while giving veterans direct participation in a structured maritime challenge.

Paul Miller, an Army veteran and skipper of Spirit of Falmouth, said the expedition had personal meaning as well as a wider purpose for those on board.

“Being part of this expedition fills me with real pride. It has reminded me how far I’ve come in my own recovery and how much further we can all go together,” Miller said.

Real Wireless has been commissioned by the UK Spectrum Policy Forum to study spectrum frameworks for lunar communications. The work will examine how radio spectrum should be managed for emerging Moon-based communications systems.

The project will assess the spectrum environment needed for sustained lunar operations, including communications relays, surface networks and navigation infrastructure. It will examine future demand across different lunar uses, identify suitable frequency bands and consider how regulation may need to change to support links between Earth systems, lunar orbit and infrastructure on the Moon’s surface.

The commission comes as governments and commercial operators step up planning for longer-term lunar missions, increasing pressure on policymakers to decide how spectrum should be coordinated, protected and governed beyond Earth orbit.

Hosted by techUK, the UK Spectrum Policy Forum brings together industry and policy stakeholders on spectrum issues. The study is intended to provide detailed analysis of how existing terrestrial and satellite spectrum management approaches may translate to an environment where multiple missions and services operate at the same time.

Lunar demand

The study is expected to cover several layers of lunar connectivity, including relay links connecting lunar assets to Earth, local communications networks for surface operations and navigation systems for missions operating around and on the Moon.

Interoperability will be a key focus. Any future framework will need to account for coordination between Earth-based networks, spacecraft in lunar orbit and systems on the surface, particularly as agencies and private operators from different countries pursue their own programmes.

The work will also consider possible conflicts with existing services, including radio astronomy and Earth satellite systems. This could prove significant because spectrum allocations for space services already sit within an international regime that must balance scientific, commercial and public sector demands.

International governance will form part of the review, with attention on how mechanisms developed through bodies such as the International Telecommunication Union may evolve for cislunar and lunar use. The findings are intended to inform UK thinking on how global rules could develop as lunar traffic grows.

Policy questions

The broader policy challenge is that lunar communications are moving from a largely theoretical issue to one of operational urgency. Programmes such as the European Space Agency’s Moonlight initiative and UK-backed lunar missions have strengthened the case for advancing spectrum planning before large-scale activity begins.

For regulators, the issue is not only access to frequencies but also how to avoid interference and ensure systems from different operators can coexist. Those questions become more complex when communications, navigation and scientific services all need access at different points between Earth and the Moon.

Dr Abhaya Sumanasena, head of policy and regulation at Real Wireless, described the significance of the work in the context of those wider developments.

“The Moon is no longer just a distant exploration target. It has the potential to be a practical operating environment for communications and navigation systems in the very near future. Establishing coherent, internationally aligned spectrum frameworks now is essential if we are to enable safe, scalable and commercially viable lunar operations,” Sumanasena said.

The commission also reflects wider UK interest in shaping international spectrum policy for space activity. As lunar communications rise up the agenda, national studies such as this can help governments define positions before multilateral negotiations on new or updated spectrum arrangements.

That matters because any framework for lunar communications is unlikely to be determined by one country alone. International alignment will be needed if orbiting relays, landers, rovers, scientific payloads and navigation services are to work together without harmful interference.

The study is due to run for about three months and will conclude with a report setting out recommendations on spectrum allocation, regulatory reform and international coordination mechanisms for lunar communications systems.

The actress, who was born and grew up in Oxford, is well known to audiences around the world after starring as Professor Sprout in several of the Harry Potter films.

Known for her character actor work across film, television, and stage, she received the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mrs Mingott in Martin Scorsese’s 1993 film, The Age of Innocence.

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One of her other famed roles was as Mother Mildred in the long-running BBC drama programme, Call the Midwife.

However, despite her long career in acting, recently she revealed that she has earned over £500,000 in a separate career, that she only began doing a few years ago.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has also been on Cameo (Image: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)

Speaking on the Romesh Ranganathan Show earlier this month, Ms Margolyes said she had earned £570,000 in total by doing Cameo videos since 2020.

These are personalised videos from well-known figures – including footballers, actors and comedians – that anyone can pay for, with the former Harry Potter star charging £95.66 per video.

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The Independent reported on the exchange with Ms Margolyes saying she tries to only spend a couple of hours a day on it.

She said: “One of the things I notice is that the Cameos now are asking for advice and for what they call ‘pep talks’ rather than happy birthday or something like that.”

She added that she was “grateful” to Cameo for the extra income it has given her.