The UK Space Agency, European Space Agency (ESA) and DCMS
have joined forces to invite companies to submit ideas for
how they can use 5G terrestrial and space technology to
support the UK’s logistics businesses – from rail to ports,
from DPD to Amazon.
A digital presence and the need to be connected is
intrinsic to modern life and in recent times, new digital
networks have increasingly been replacing old physical
infrastructure as ever more services migrate online. The
rollout of 5G networks will play a vital role in supporting
faster connectivity across the country and innovative new
systems, such as the Internet of Things.
COVID-19 has reaffirmed just how important logistics
companies are in not just the UK, but across the world –
keeping us connected and providing vital services like food
to people’s homes and medical deliveries to people’s
hospitals.
The Call for Proposals launched today will seek out
proposals from businesses for how ESA, the UK Space Agency
and DCMS can use space technology to support the logistics
sector in a 5G environment, and in doing so, increase the
connectivity and close the digital divide for businesses in
this sector.
Catherine Mealing-Jones, Director of Growth at the UK Space
Agency, said:
This is a great initiative to show how together we can
work to help close the digital divide. Access to constant
connectivity regardless of location offers huge benefits.
We’ve seen through the current pandemic, that logistics
are vital to keeping the country going and space
technology is a key part of making that happen.
Magali Vaissiere, ESA Director of Telecommunications and
Integrated Applications said:
This is a great opportunity for ESA to join forces with
DCMS and UK Space Agency and prove the key role that
satellite communications will play in the future
converged 5G networks.
In the context of the ESA 5G Strategic Programme Line,
this Call for Proposals is intended to stimulate the
emergence of sustainable applications relying on
innovative 5G solutions, starting from the logistics
sector.
This Call for Proposals follows the Memorandum of Intent
signed in December 2019 by ESA and DCMS, designed to
support the emergence of commercially viable products and
services enabled by the deployment of converged 5G
terrestrial and space networks.
The UK already hosts the European Centre for Space
Applications and Telecommunications in Harwell,
Oxfordshire, and the European Space Agency announced at the
end of June that it is to open a new ‘space tech incubation
unit’ in Leicester to help start-ups access the expertise
they need, whether it be from university research to large
corporations.
This is one of a number of business incubation centres
across the UK supporting entrepreneurs and innovators who
want to join our growing space sector.
