Space Agency invests £370k in Space South Central region innovations
Mock-up of the new air-breathing spacecraft being developed at Surrey Space Centre © University of Surrey
Two projects from the Space South Central region are among nine from across the UK to get a share of £1.8 million in funding from the UK Space Agency’s Enabling Technologies Programme (ETP), to boost research and development into new and emerging space technologies.
ETP awards totalling £370,000 went to Hampshire-based Ultima Forma (£120,000) and Surrey Space Centre at the University of Surrey, one of the Space South Central cluster’s founding partners (£250,000).
The University of Surrey’s funding is for a one-year project to develop a new air-breathing spacecraft that can fly at ultra-low altitude orbits, providing better Earth observation (EO) and faster communications.
Bringing together the Surrey Space Centre’s expertise in propulsion, astrodynamics and spacecraft engineering with the university’s Centre for Aerodynamics and Environmental Flow, the ETP award will fund conceptual design, propulsion testing, orbital mechanics analyses and aerodynamic simulations.
Dr Andrea Lucca Fabris, principal investigator from Surrey Space Centre and an electric propulsion specialist, said:
“There are benefits to flying in very low altitude orbits, like being able to operate Earth observation at much higher resolutions than offered at present.
“It could also mean faster telecommunications, and it opens the door to new scientific discoveries about conditions in the ionosphere, which could help develop more accurate atmospheric models.”
The Space South Central team assisted with Surrey’s bid to emphasise the commercial opportunities presented by the project, and how it aligns with the UK Space Agency’s North Star Metric, which aims to ensure that government funding offers value for money and catalyses maximum wider investment.
Toby Marchant, Space South Central’s International Partnerships Manager, said:
“It’s important for both public and private investors to clearly see the potential real-world and commercial impact of the projects they fund.
“Not only are our partner universities of Surrey, Portsmouth and Southampton, at the forefront of UK space expertise and innovation, their work unlocks technology that can benefit multiple sectors and the wider economy.
“We’re delighted that Surrey Space Centre’s ETP bid was successful and are committed to helping all kinds of space-related businesses in Hampshire, Surrey and the Isle of Wight attract the investment they need to innovate and grow.”
Ultima Forma Ltd, based in Tadley, near Basingstoke, was awarded £120,000 to develop electroformed modular Q-band waveguide assemblies in collaboration with Airbus Defence and Space.
Waveguides are key technologies in communications, directing energy in a particular direction. Electroforming involves ‘growing’ metal via electrolytic transfer of ions, potentially delivering a cost-effective manufacture and development technique.
The ETP funding – part of the government’s wider strategies for the UK to further its reputation as a global leader in space innovation – was announced on Wednesday 8 May, the opening day of the UK’s first In-Orbit Servicing and Manufacturing (IOSM) Conference at Harwell Science Campus, Oxfordshire.
Andrew Griffith MP, Minister for Space at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, said:
“From more accurate weather forecasts to manufacturing medicines on a bigger scale, ambitious UK space teams from Strathclyde to Surrey are developing pioneering solutions in space to enhance our life on earth. This £1.8m government fund will grow our economy through new innovation while helping to keep space sustainable and deliver more key discoveries for many years to come.”
Need advice on funding or investment for your space-related business, product or service? Get in touch at info@spacesouthcentral.com.
