Eight national projects, including a suborbital rocket, a microreactor for space exploration and a heat detection telescope, have secured £24 million in funding from the UK Space Agency’s National Space Innovation Plan.
Including private sector involvement, the project is worth £33 million and aims to support high potential space technologies and drive growth across the UK.
“Space technology plays a vital role in many aspects of our daily lives,” said Science and Technology Minister Peter Kyle. “Supporting the growth of UK space enterprises is vital to boosting economic growth, increasing productivity and generating wealth for all communities.”
He added: “Our £33 million investment in these projects highlights the huge potential for the UK’s space industry, particularly in working with international partners.”
Among the funded efforts, HyImpulse will carry out tests of its suborbital rocket at SaxaVord Spaceport in the Shetland Islands. The company has received £5 million to carry out the tests in partnership with Cranfield University, the University of Birmingham and the AVICON Partnership.
This is the second time the Glasgow-based company has received funding from the UK Space Agency, after securing around £3.4 million last year to test a hybrid propulsion system.
Rolls-Royce Darby will develop a microreactor designed to support long-term space missions. In partnership with Bangor University, Oxford University and Rolls-Royce Bristol, the project aims to increase the overall “technology readiness level” of space microreactors and bridge the gap between space flight demonstration of a full system and the commercialisation of space nuclear power.
Cambridge University spin-out company SuperSharp has secured £5 million to develop and launch a heat detection telescope.
Founded in 2017 by CEO Marco Gomes Jenkins, CSO Professor Ian Parry and CTO George Hawker, the startup aims to collect vital data to address the climate crisis, whilst demonstrating the link between space technology and environmental science.
The telescope would reportedly fit onto a small satellite and its imaging technology could be used for climate change data, crop monitoring and global security, among other applications.
The funding will also be used by Lunasa, which is building and testing technology to help satellites dock safely with each other; Orbit Fab, which is developing satellite refueling solutions; and Weyland Additive, which is developing electronic propulsion systems.
The project led by Spire Global will further develop technology to supply weather forecast data to weather forecasting centers around the world, while ETL Systems will advance ground equipment to connect satellites to 5G and 6G mobile networks to improve connectivity.
Dr Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency, said: “These new projects will drive growth, create more quality jobs, protect our planet and help safeguard the space environment for future generations. They demonstrate our ambition as the national space agency to support cutting-edge innovation, unlock opportunity across the UK and deliver the benefits of space back to citizens here on Earth.”
A further 15 Kickstarter projects are set to receive a combined £9 million.
