Pilot programme to advance UK space ecosystem
Image by Chris J Mitchell / copyright Shutterstock
The UK Space Agency’s new Space Ecosystem Commercialisation Programme (SECP) is delivered in partnership with six of the UK’s local space clusters and managed by the Midlands Aerospace Alliance. The programme provides targeted research and development funding alongside strategic and commercial business guidance.
Supporting innovation and growth
The 18 organisations will each receive up to £30,000 to invest in technology development, market validation, and customer engagement. Participating businesses will also benefit from dedicated support from their space cluster leads – locally embedded sector experts – who bring a deep knowledge of supply chains, partnership opportunities, and insight into market demand for space-enabled services. This will enable them to refine their products and services in line with specific commercial opportunities, and establish new growth-driving partnerships within the UK’s connected space ecosystem.
Jon Hulks, Space Ecosystem Development Manager at the UK Space Agency, said: "The Space Ecosystem Commercialisation Programme harnesses the networks and expertise found across the UK’s space cluster network to drive local economic growth. Working together, we are enabling individual space companies to take the next step in their commercial journey and enhancing the unique capabilities and supply chain resilience that underpin the UK’s national space ecosystem."
Strengthening local economies
The UK Space Agency has worked with each space cluster partner to ensure the programme addresses their particular market needs and strengthens their local economy, delivering on the government’s commitment to enhance the resilience of the space sector supply chain as outlined in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy: Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan.
In the Cornwall Space Cluster, the programme prioritises projects that boost the region’s recognised strength in satellite communications. Kernow Enterprises Ltd is developing a space-enabled autonomous communication system, and, through the cluster support enabled by the programme, has already established new partnerships with leading Cornish organisations including Goonhilly Earth Station, the National Drone Hub, Selletronics and Skentel.
In the Midlands Space Cluster, harnessing the region’s local advanced manufacturing expertise, Future Aerospace Engineering are developing acid-resistant laminate and coating systems for next-generation spacecraft through its HESPERIA Materials Demonstrator project. The £11,200 award will help the company advance materials that could prove crucial for long-duration space missions and harsh orbital environments. Likewise, Space South Central is supporting Lunasa’s ECLIPSE project with £29,844 to develop an orbital testbed for advanced payload validation and inspection. This technology will enable more thorough testing and verification of space hardware in orbit, potentially reducing mission risks and improving satellite performance.
In the North West Space Cluster, which is home to leading expertise in nuclear power for space, Cerberus Nuclear is creating the Materials in Orbital Radiation Environments Database (MORED) with £14,220 in funding. This database tool will help engineers design more radiation-resistant space systems, addressing one of the key challenges facing satellites and spacecraft operating in harsh space environments.
The programme also supports the wider space community. Every company that applied receives bespoke guidance from their cluster to refine and pursue the commercialisation opportunities they identified.
Andrew Mair, Chief Executive Officer of the Midlands Aerospace Alliance, said: "We are pleased to be able to build on the success of the “Pivot into Space” R&D grant programme that the UK Space Agency previously supported in the Midlands by playing our part in this wider programme. For us, it’s all about mobilising local clusters across the country’s space ecosystem system to work closely with small companies that already have their own brilliant ideas and benefit from the kickstart of a small R&D grant, some key expertise and access to the wider network to accelerate their journey towards commercialisation."
The UK Space Agency’s Space Ecosystem Commercialisation Programme is supporting the following companies:
Midlands Space Cluster
Third Planet Orbital: TPOD Capability Expansion – £19,680 New 16U deployer and release sequencer test kit.
PGM Reball: 3D Printed Unitary Ball Nut – £29,074 3D printing a unitary ball nut that incorporates geometry only additive manufacturing can achieve.
Future Aerospace Engineering: HESPERIA Materials Demonstrator – £11,200 Acid-resistant laminate and coating systems for next-generation spacecraft and habitats.
NDE Clarke Pitchline: LIFTAR Launcher Integrated Flexible Transport and Rotation Drive System – £30,000 Designing and testing a flexible launch drive system.
South Central Space Cluster
Lunasa: ECLIPSE – £29,844 Orbital testbed for advanced payload validation and inspection.
Lodestar: ECLIPSE AI-Driven On-Orbit SDA Payload – £30,000 LiDAR integration to enhance space situational domain awareness.
Satraka Ltd: Satcom Dual-band Feed System – £30,000 Manufacturing and verifying a compact Ka/Ku dual-band feed system for satellites.
Space West
Space AM: LoRa as an alternative to GNSS/GPS – £28,200 LoRa tested as positioning alternative to GNSS/GPS.
Cornwall Space Cluster
Skentel Group Ltd: Remote Sensing With Non-Terrestrial Networks – £8,193 5G connectivity to augment existing terrestrial network sensor devices.
Kernow Enterprises Ltd: Emdrone - Space Domain – £29,923 Developing a space-enabled autonomous communication system with defence applications.
Flann Microwave Ltd: Compact 3-Way Waveguide Switch – £20,000 Design and development of a prototype electro-mechanical 3-way waveguide switch.
Piran Composites Ltd: Dual-Use Composite Development – £30,000 Digitally traceable composite manufacturing process for dual use in UAVs and small satellites.
Space North East England
Digventures Ltd: Deep Time: Citizen-Powered Earth Observation – £29,985 Refining citizen science platform to include enhanced QA validation.
Nascent Semiconductor: Enhanced Performance Satellite Electronics – £30,000 Novel scalable semiconductor fabrication process for satellites.
ViperRF: Ka-Band Amplifier for EO Telemetry - £12,734 Developing production tooling techniques for a Ka-Band amplifier chip.
North West Space Cluster
SmartIR Ltd: VER : Enabling Next-Generation CubeSat Thermal Control – £26,400 Thermal control system for next-generation CubeSats.
ThinkITTech: AM Powder Optimiser AI – £18,000 AI-driven optimisation for 3D printing metal powder for the space sector.
Cerberus Nuclear: Materials in Orbital Radiation Environments Database (MORED) – £14,220 Database tool for radiation-resistant space system design.
