The cash injection is going to high-risk, high-reward
projects that support companies and universities with
radical ideas for how we tackle climate change through
Earth Observation or address satellite communications
challenges, from providing greater connectivity to remote
places to increasing the efficiency of our homes.
Projects set for the cash boost include The Open University
who will use the money to create the UK’s first Precision
Forestry tool, TreeView, which will support efforts to
tackle the climate emergency through detailed measurement
of tree-planting initiatives aimed at increasing carbon
dioxide removal.
Surrey-based Global Satellite Vu will build a new compact,
high-resolution infrared camera for satellites to measure
thermal emissions from our homes, schools and places of
work, supporting the government’s green economic recovery
plan.
Space Forge will take advantage of the unique qualities
offered by the space environment. By manufacturing in
microgravity, the space start-up hopes to produce a
next-generation computer chip for the terrestrial and
satellite telecommunications industries and return them
from orbit for use on Earth.
Science Minister said:
We want the UK to be a world leader in space technology
which is why we are supporting our most ambitious
innovators who are developing first-of-a-kind
technologies to help solve some of our greatest
challenges.
From slashing carbon emissions to protecting the UK’s
critical services from harmful cyber-attacks, today’s
funding will unshackle our most entrepreneurial space
scientists so that they can transfer their revolutionary
ideas into world-class products and services, while
helping to boost the UK economy.
The funding comes from the UK Space Agency’s National Space
Innovation Programme (NSIP), which is the first UK fund
dedicated to supporting the space sector’s development of
innovations, allowing us to compete internationally on the
world stage with other countries, like France and Germany,
which have dedicated national funding for space.
Businesses, universities and research organisations were
awarded co-funding for projects that will help the space
sector create new high-skilled jobs, while developing new
skills and technologies on UK soil. Grants from the £15
million funding pot range from between £170,000 and £1.4
million per project.
Dr Graham Turnock, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency,
said:
Space technologies have become deeply embedded in, and
critical to, almost every aspect of our daily lives. With
rapid technological innovation, space offers a broad and
growing range of opportunities to support economic
activity and protect the environment.
From the satellites connecting our calls to the ones that
tell us when to expect rain when we step outside, space
technologies are fundamental to our day-to-day lives.
Our space sector is constantly advancing and welcoming
new ideas, and through this funding we are championing
the best of this British innovation.
In addition, £5 million of the programme funding has been
set aside for international projects, which will focus on
increasing exports and securing new inward investment,
supporting UK science and the prosperity agenda by funding
working relationships between world-leading researchers and
institutions and developing space capabilities important to
the UK’s security interests.
The call for applications for this strand of funding closed
in October and successful applicants will be announced in
the coming weeks.
The UK space sector is a huge economic success story,
growing by over 60% since 2010. The industry already
supports £300 billion of UK economic activity through the
use of satellite services and is expected to grow further
as this new government support unlocks commercial
opportunities.
The UK also remains a leading member of the European Space
Agency, which is independent of the EU. ESA membership
allows the UK to cooperate in world-leading science on a
global scale, enabling UK scientists and researchers access
to a range of international R&D programmes.
