Better Wi-Fi on remote trains and improved access to cutting-edge tech for British farmers are among the key use cases envisioned as being made possible from the UK Space Agency funding 16 projects with a £13m government investment plan.
The UK government noted that the space sector is one of the UK’s strongest drivers of growth and opportunity – employing more than 55,000 people and bringing £18.6bn into the economy every year. It said it regarded satellites as the backbone of modern life, powering applications such as navigation apps, weather forecasts and broadband connections.
Furthermore, it was confident the new investment would take UK space to the next frontier, and that it was backing the innovators developing the faster, smarter and more secure satellite systems that would keep the economy moving.
“This investment shows the true breadth of UK space innovation and how innovations in the UK’s satellite sector can improve lives, with better connectivity delivering internet access for more train journeys, and smarter farming through more reliable connections through to support for our farming communities,” said UK space minister Liz Lloyd.
“By backing brilliant British companies, we are not only furthering our status as one of the world’s leading space powers, but creating high-quality jobs and new opportunities across the UK.”
The 16 projects will be delivered as part of the European Space Agency’s Advanced Research in Telecommunication Systems programme, and are expected to create high-value jobs across the UK, strengthen national security, and help cement Britain’s position as a global force in satellite communication technology.
Among the projects receiving support, CGI’s Sodor will trial satellite broadband on ScotRail’s West Highland Line, one of Scotland’s most scenic but remote routes. The project aims to bring reliable connectivity to passengers and commuters in areas where traditional mobile networks struggle to reach. This trial will support the government’s wider work to introduce satellite connectivity on all mainland trains, improving availability and connection speeds for passengers across the country.
In agriculture, Farmer Charlie’s Gauff project will be developing affordable satellite-enabled sensors that will give farmers real-time data on their land and crops. That will help deliver better harvests and reduce waste through smarter, more targeted farming, with the technology expected to be available by the end of next summer.
“We are delighted to receive the support of the UK Space Agency, through the European Agency, as it helps Farmer Charlie bring the benefits of precision agriculture to farmers across the UK,” said Betty Bonnardel, CEO of Farmer Charlie. “By combining affordable sensors with satellite connectivity, we are making it easier for growers to make informed decisions, improve productivity and farm more sustainably anywhere in the UK.”
Other projects winning backing include Exobotics Ltd’s Stars project, which is looking to develop what is claimed to be ultra-fast satellite communications technology. It aims to deliver the first satellites in a planned network designed to relay data between satellites and the ground much more quickly.
Working with Archangel Lightworks and University of Nottingham, this project selected under the Connectivity in Low Earth Orbit Programme will develop and demonstrate a next-generation optical communications capability designed to provide ultra-fast, resilient and near-real-time connectivity for satellite operators. The project will deliver the first satellites in a planned future data relay network, helping address growing demand for rapid transfer of mission-critical data.
Theia Space is working with Airbus Defence and Space UK on a software-defined radio generic payload processor. The project is developing technology that allows to expand Airbus’s existing Hyperion processor, Hyperion Evo, by offering the capability to tailor specific processor functions to the mission needs as well as reprogramming and updating those functions while in orbit, rather than being locked into a fixed set of functions before and after launch. This is intended to make Airbus on-board processors and satellites more adaptable and help operators get more out of them over time, and reduces costs.
Further projects are also intended to improve the UK’s capabilities in deep space and lunar communications, supporting future missions that explore our universe.
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