The UK Space Agency has announced a £17m (US$22.7m) funding package for 17 UK space projects through its National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP). The investment will accelerate breakthrough technologies, boost commercialization and strengthen the UK’s position in space innovation.
The selected projects span five strategic themes: space domain awareness, in-orbit servicing and manufacturing, Earth observation, satellite communications, and position, navigation and timing. Together, the projects are expected to deliver transformative technologies to enhance climate monitoring, improve connectivity, enable sustainable satellite operations and strengthen national security.
Space minister Liz Lloyd said, “Space technology benefits people’s lives every day – from checking the weather to navigating your car journey home from work. This funding backs the brilliant UK innovators developing the next generation of space technology.”
Investment in space for public benefit
Innovations in Earth observation and satellite data from the NSIP are expected to enhance services such as weather forecasting, agricultural monitoring and disaster response.
The program is also set to advance the UK’s sustainability goals with Protoloaunch’s water-based propulsion system and Orbit Fab’s development of a refuelable electric propulsion system for satellites. Lodestar Space will develop autonomous, modular robotic tools to service spacecraft in orbit, reducing space debris and extending satellite lifespans.
Expanding the UK space economy
Th UK government says its space sector is currently valued at £18bn (US$24bn), and last week agreed a £1.7bn investment in European Space Agency (ESA) programs at the ESA Council of Ministers in Bremen, boosting the UK’s total commitment to £2.8bn over the next decade.
Other highlights of the projects are as follows:
- Magdrive receives £2m to ready a propulsion system for small satellites for mass production.
- B2Space (with partners SuperSharp Space Systems and University of South Wales) receives £2m to create a UK-led Earth observation system using high-altitude platforms with advanced sensors, satcom connectivity and onboard AI.
- Lightricity (with partners AVS Added Value Solutions UK and IQE) receives £1.9m to create a fully flexible roll-out foldable solar panel for small satellites that can generate several kilowatts of power.
- Toshiba Europe, together with Heriot-Watt University and Cambridge University, has secured £1.45m to space-qualify critical quantum optoelectric components and integrate them into a UK-developed secure quantum communication systems for small satellites.
- The University of Edinburgh, with partner UK Astronomy Technology Centre (STFC), receives £850,000 to develop a compact, high-resolution CubeSat instrument to measure pollution from space, with global coverage.
- Orbit Fab, with partner TAS UK, receives £340,000 to create a refuelable electric propulsion system for satellites by developing a fluidic flatsat.
- HR Wallingford receives £320,000, with support from Southern Water, Thames Water and Evenlode Catchment Partnership, to build an AI tool that uses satellite data to assess how farming affects water quality.
- STFC RAL Space receives £260,000 to develop a new technology to support the calibration of next-generation meteorological satellites using UK-made electronics.
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