UK businesses can today apply for a share of up to £14.7 million
in funding from the UK Space Agency, unlocking new opportunities
to develop cutting-edge space technologies and
strengthen the UK's industrial capability.
The funding is available through the European Space Agency's
(ESA) General Support Technology Programme (GSTP), its flagship
programme for maturing new space technologies from early-stage
research to flight-ready demonstration.
This call follows strong demand from industry and new evidence
showing that UK participation in GSTP is delivering significant
economic and technological benefits. The UK has been involved in
the programme for more than 30 years and committed £46 million at
ESA's 2025 Ministerial Council, helping organisations develop
critical home-grown technologies, compete internationally, and
secure future work from ESA and commercial markets.
Read more
about GSTP and the application process.
Lord David Willetts, Chair of UK Space
Agency, said:
We are very pleased to be providing this further
funding for new technologies across the space
sector. The evidence shows this programme provides a real boost
to individual companies and the wider economy.
A UK Space Agency impact
analysis of 44 GSTP projects (31% of funding, 2019–2024)
found strong benefits for UK industry, especially SMEs. Projects
advanced an average of 2.28 Technology Readiness Levels, with
some progressing up to four levels in a year. TRLs indicate how
close a technology is to real-world use, the higher the
number, the more developed it is.
The sample also generated £24.6 million
in additional revenue, delivered a 116% return on
public investment and created 113 new jobs, the
majority within SMEs. Many participating companies also went on
to attract private investment.
GSTP funding is helping UK companies scale and compete
internationally. Bristol-based SME iCOMAT used the
programme to demonstrate an advanced composite
manufacturing process for spacecraft structures. The company
developed a prototype that was 25% lighter and 30% stronger than
conventional designs, boosting its credibility, attracting
customers, and enabling £18 million in private investment.
Space Forge has also benefited, using GSTP support to develop a
reusable re-entry heat shield, a key technology for returning
high-value materials manufactured in space. The funding enabled
design, prototyping and early testing ahead of flight trials,
helping the company secure £12.3 million in private investment,
build a UK supply chain, and create 20 skilled jobs.
The analysis also shows that GSTP is strengthening collaboration
across the UK space sector. Nearly three-quarters (73%)
of organisations formed new partnerships through the programme,
including valuable links between SMEs and major system
integrators. Innovation levels were consistently high: 90% of
SME-led projects developed novel technologies, while
72% identified applications beyond the space sector.
Overall, the programme supported 23 technologies unique to the
UK, with several expected to be first-of-their-kind in Europe or
even globally.
Demand for GSTP funding has grown rapidly, with the
UK's previous allocation fully committed ahead of
schedule and no new calls since March 2024. This new £7
million call, part of the wider £14.7 million package,
is expected to be strongly welcomed by industry. Updated rules
will introduce co-funding requirements and a fixed-value
framework to maximise value for money while continuing to support
strategically important capabilities.
Alongside this, a separate call will invite UK organisations to
bid for £7.7 million in fully funded ESA technology contracts.
These opportunities are open to organisations of all sizes,
including universities and non-space companies, helping to
broaden participation and secure high-value ESA work for the UK.
