The U.K. government is to invest a further 62 million pounds ($83.4 million) to help boost the space sector in the country. This funding will support new satellite communications systems and space innovation projects, helping turn early-stage ideas into commercial products, with the aim of strengthening the UK’s ability to monitor and protect assets in orbit, and build a more resilient domestic space sector.
The funds announced Monday includes 42 million pounds ($56.5 million) to develop new British satellite communications technologies and 20 million pounds ($26.9 million) to support space innovation projects across industry and universities.
The Connectivity in Low Earth Orbit (C-LEO) Programme is opening its third funding round, offering 42 million pounds to UK businesses, universities and research organizations to develop new satellite communications technologies. Projects must focus on on-board processing, active antennas, optical links, networking and routing, or user terminals. This is in addition to funding announced for C-LEO in March.
The new funding aims to help U.K. innovators build the satellite communications, space security and commercial technologies that strengthen Britain’s competitiveness, resilience and security.
According to the UK Space Agency (UKSA), the Accelerator program that helps develop new companies has supported 289 founders and helped raise more than 102 million pounds ($137.2 million) in investment.
“This funding will help develop new satellite communications technologies to connect people in our remotest places, including connecting people working at sea and passengers travelling by air, capture a growing market for on-orbit manufactured products and strengthen our ability to monitor and protect assets in orbit. Strengthening domestic capability in these areas, alongside working with international partners, will help ensure the U.K. remains secure, resilient and a leader on the world stage,” Liz Lloyd, U.K. Space Minister, said in a statement.