International space projects receive UK Space Agency investment

World leading experts from Enterprise M3-backed Space South Central are among the first to receive investment from the UK Space Agency’s £20 million International Bilateral Fund (IBF), boosting research and new technology.

Companies and universities from the UK’s largest regional space cluster covering Surrey, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, are among 32 recipients to receive up to £75,000 in the first phase of the funding which will help British organisations link up with countries in North America, Australia and Asia.

This includes a Space South Central project, where partners from the universities of Surrey, Portsmouth and Southampton are working together to develop a new Earth observation mission in conjunction with UK company Twinparadox Ltd, with The Office for Space Technology & Industry, Singapore (OSTIn) to tackle air pollution, weather forecasting and climate change.

Successful recipients located within the Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership area include Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) and Earth-i, based at Surrey Research Park in Guildford and In-Space Missions, headquartered at Omega Park, in Alton.

• SSTL is working with UK and Australian partners to create an integrated ground-to-space national water quality monitoring system.

• Earth-i in partnership with Planet Labs based in the United States, is developing a new approach to achieving high-revisit surveillance sites, which are of interest to defence, security and intelligence organisations. 

• Satellite manufacturer and platform services consultancy In-Space Missions, which is a subsidiary of BAE Systems, will use the investment to develop the first Asia-Pacific multi-agency technology and business accelerator programme called Faraday Dragon. It is being created to provide regular in-orbit payload rideshare missions.

Meanwhile, Space South Central founding member, Southampton University is collaborating with the University of Michigan and a variety of companies in the UK and United States to enhance Hall effect thruster capability.

Dr Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said: “Working with other space agencies and organisations across the globe through our International Bilateral Fund allows us to draw on skills that enhance our homegrown expertise and capabilities, drive up investment in the UK, and support world-class science and discovery.

"Working with Space South Central supports these goals by promoting UK expertise, attracting these partnerships and demonstrating our National Space Strategy vision of a thriving, resilient and well-connected space ecosystem across the whole of the UK.”

Dr Louise Butt, Director of the Space South Central Enterprise Network, said: “It’s great to see so many of our organisations win IBF funding and we are looking forward to following their projects’ progress. International collaborations are a key part of the National Space Strategy and fundamental to space sector growth and bringing investment and jobs to the region. 

“Although we represent the regional space sector, our businesses – large and small, new and established – and our world-class universities, have a global impact and a breadth of space capabilities unrivalled anywhere in the UK.”

Chris Burchell, EM3 Head of Enterprise and Innovation, said: “The EM3 area which is part of the wider Space South Central cluster region is a key part of the UK’s thriving space sector. It is the largest regional space cluster in the UK with over 130 organisations participating, a turnover of over £3 billion per annum and more 5,500 employed in the sector.

“That is why I am so pleased to see so many of our companies and organisations across the cluster benefit from the UK Space Agency’s International Bilateral Fund.

“This will undoubtedly unlock commercial opportunities, developing exciting cutting-edge technology and will go a long way in developing new skills while building and strengthening international relationships to help advance Britain’s goals in space.”

Space South Central has recently launched its UK Space: In One Place campaign which includes a brochure  and video introducing region’s space expertise  to international audiences that local businesses can use in their pitches and promotions.