The UK Space Agency has announced a major investment to accelerate breakthrough space technologies, boost commercialisation, and reinforce the UK’s position as a global leader in space innovation.
The newly funded projects span five strategic themes critical to the UK’s space ambitions. These are space domain awareness, in-orbit servicing and manufacturing, earth observation, satellite communications, and position, navigation and timing.
These initiatives will deliver transformative technologies to enhance climate monitoring, improve connectivity, enable sustainable satellite operations, and strengthen national security. From quantum communications and robotic servicing tools to AI-powered pollution tracking and refuellable propulsion systems, the projects will help build a resilient, competitive UK space sector.
The investment will create up to 140 skilled jobs across the UK, strengthening the talent pipeline in engineering, data science and advanced manufacturing. Innovations in Earth observation and satellite data will improve services such as weather forecasting, agricultural monitoring, and disaster response. For example, HR Wallingford’s AI tool will use satellite data to assess farming impacts on water quality, supporting environmental protection and sustainable land use.
Other highlights include:
- Magdrive Ltd developing a compact plasma propulsion system for next-generation satellite constellations.
- University of Birmingham and Alan Turing Institute advancing AI-powered radar analysis for space domain awareness.
- BAE Systems Digital Intelligence creating a satellite-based service to detect and track radio signals for civil and defence applications.
- Protolaunch and Orbit Fab developing greener propulsion systems to enable refuellable satellites.
- Lodestar Space designing autonomous robotic tools for in-orbit servicing, reducing space debris and extending satellite lifespans.
Space Minister Liz Lloyd commented:
“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.
“By supporting our space sector, we’re strengthening the UK’s position as a world leader in space innovation and building technologies that will benefit people across the country for years to come.”
This investment builds on the UK’s £18 billion space sector and complements recent commitments, including £1.7 billion to ESA programmes, bringing the UK’s total ESA investment to £2.8 billion over the next decade. Every £1 invested in ESA returns £7.49 to the UK economy, driving innovation and sustaining thousands of high-skilled jobs.
Together, these efforts reflect a coordinated approach to growing the UK space economy, advancing innovation, and delivering lasting benefits for people and businesses – from improved connectivity to more resilient infrastructure.
Image credit: iStock
