British companies developing satellite communications technology are to receive £30 million in taxpayer funding, Space Minister Liz Lloyd announced today, as the UK looks to secure a larger share of a global market worth £40 billion
The investment, the second round of funding from the UK Space Agency’s Connectivity in Low Earth Orbit (C-LEO) programme, will help UK firms develop cutting-edge components and technologies for the satellite constellations that are transforming how the world stays connected. These vast networks of satellites, orbiting hundreds of miles above the Earth, work together to deliver high-speed internet, communications and data services to every corner of the globe — from remote rural communities to ships at sea and aircraft in flight.
The government will back new projects to develop advanced technologies that are essential to the future of connectivity. With the global market currently worth around £40 billion and growing at over 10% annually (1), driven by demand for services such as navigation and positioning, broadband internet, weather forecasting, and maritime and aviation tracking, there is a significant opportunity for UK companies to capture a greater share. These technologies are also vital for defence and national security.
Space Minister Liz Lloyd said:
The new £30 million of taxpayer investment will help companies move their technologies from the testing phase to being ready for use in real missions, positioning them to win future contracts with major satellite network operators.
The programme will support the next generation of advanced satellite capabilities, meaning better services for governments and customers around the globe, enabling faster processing of information, lower latency and greater assurance for where UK data lands and is held, and positioning the UK supply chain at the heart of this step change in space-based capability.
The announcement comes as more than 5,000 people descend on one of Europe’s biggest space industry events – Space-Comm Expo – at ExCeL London over the next two days.
The government will use the event to set out a new vision for the UK as a competitive, agile space power. Space Minister Liz Lloyd will speak at the event and set out where key elements of the UK Space Agency budget will be directed, as delivering on this vision requires a more focused approach, with satellite communications identified as one of four areas that are fundamental to the UK’s ability to operate in and benefit from space, now and into the future.
Connectivity in Low Earth Orbit (C-LEO)
The first C-LEO funding call supported three projects with £18 million in funding. These projects involved eight UK companies and have created 26 specialist jobs in the UK so far. The projects have been running for a year and will continue for another two years, developing user terminals, active antennas and on-board regenerative processors.
Bethan Evans, Chief Operating Officer at Excelerate Technology, one of the companies that received funding from the first C-LEO call, said:
Paul Morris, Vice President of RF & Comms Business Unit at EnSilica, said:
UK Space Agency CEO Dr Paul Bate said:
The funding call opens on Wednesday 4 March and companies can apply via the UK Space Agency website.