The Defence Science and
Technology Laboratory (Dstl), UK Space
Agency and Defence and Security
Accelerator (DASA) are pleased to announce that five
innovators have won £1 million in funding to develop technologies
for the space domain.
The funding was achieved as a result of Space to Innovate Campaign
– Bravo Drop which invited innovators to submit their
innovative technologies and solutions to help overcome the
following challenge areas:
Challenge 1: Novel sensing and Intelligence, Surveillance
& Reconnaissance (ISR) technologies
This challenge sought to develop technologies and demonstrations
of novel sensing modes for the space domain for military and
intelligence applications; both space-to-ground and
space-to-space.
Challenge 2: Novel approaches to improve signal-to-noise
performance of space-related communications, sensing,
identification or tracking capabilities
This challenge sought to identify novel technologies, techniques,
processes or algorithms that offer improvements to the overall
signal-to-noise characteristics of electromagnetic systems used
for Defence and / or Security space domain applications.
Air-Vice Marshal Paul Godfrey, Commander, UK Space
Command, said:
“This is an exciting time for the UK’s space sector. It’s great
to see companies across the union continuously challenging the
norms and improving the UK’s ability to operate effectively and
safely in space through innovative technologies.
“Bravo Drop is the next part in the collaboration between
Government, Defence, and industry and is crucial to our mission
to make space safe, secure, and sustainable for all generations.”
Dr Mike O’Callaghan, Dstl Space Programme Manager,
said:
“This is a hugely exciting time for Dstl with the launch of two
satellite missions from the UK later this year. Accelerating the
development of these technologies could enhance future space
operations and contribute to improved space domain awareness, as
well as more secure communications. We look forward to working
with all the winners.”
Blast off to the winners
Five projects have been awarded Space to Innovate Campaign –
Bravo Drop funding to fast-track their novel ideas. The winners
are:
AltaRange Ltd
Bravo Drop funding: £117,700
AltaRange Ltd’s project aims to demonstrate the technical and
commercial viability of a Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST)
service for next generation space operations involving spacecraft
in proximity to one another, to enable better in-space
reconnaissance and spacecraft monitoring.
Slipstream Engineering Design Ltd
Bravo Drop funding: £ 199,054
This project aims to deliver an Adaptive Radio Platform (ARP) for
space applications through the development and integration of a
Software Defined Radio (SDR). This will enable flexible radio
products that focus on efficient technologies which are power and
spectrum scalable.
Fraunhofer UK Research Ltd and Fraunhofer Centre for
Applied Photonics
Bravo Drop funding: £318,152
This project aims to develop innovative robust, high-reliability
and low-SWaP (size, weight and power) hybrid photonic integrated
circuits (PICs), which will enable technology for space-based
optical clocks and quantum sensors.
Astroscale
Bravo Drop funding: £ 196,466
Astroscale’s project aims to determine the utility of
hyperspectral imaging/multispectral imaging (HSI/MSI) capability
for novel space-to-space (S2S) imaging applications, which is
essential for intelligence gathering and threat assessment.
AVoptics Ltd
Bravo Drop funding: £195,920
This project aims to develop a novel, high-gain and low-noise
optical photodetector material to realise
higher-speed/longer-range Free Space Optical Communication (FSOC)
links, to enable inter-satellite and satellite-to-platform high
bandwidth communication.
What is the Space to Innovate Campaign?
The space domain, which includes satellites and space-based
services, is vital to modern life, enabling a range of civilian
and military activities. Any form of disturbance to UK space
capabilities, whether that is natural or intentional, can cause a
severe disruption to UK prosperity.
The Space to Innovate Campaign seeks proposals that can maintain
the UK’s freedom of action in the space domain by developing
future space technologies that enhance and protect space military
and civil potential.
The campaign format is unique from other DASA competitions and
comprises space-related challenges that are released
periodically.
What happened in the Space to Innovate Campaign – Alpha
Drop competition?
The Space to Innovate Campaign – Bravo Drop follows on from the
Alpha Drop, where £1.6 million worth of contracts were awarded
to:
- EESE, University of Birmingham
- Goonhilly Earth Station Limited
- Spectra Medical Limited
- University of Warwick
- University of Strathclyde
- 14 AI Innovation LLP
- University of Strathclyde
- Rocket Communications
The Space to Innovate Campaign – Alpha Drop aimed to identify
visualisation tools to enable space operators to exploit
information gathered from multiple data sources, and novel
methods for characterising objects in space and their
intent. Learn more here.
