The UK Space Agency is funding 16 projects through a £13 million government investment designed to bring the benefits of space technology into everyday life, from reliable broadband on remote trains to affordable sensors for farmers.
The projects will be delivered as part of the European Space Agency’s Advanced Research in Telecommunication Systems (ARTES) programme. The new funding supports the companies and workers developing the satellite communications systems the UK will depend on for decades to come.
Among the projects highlighted by the government is CGI’s SODOR scheme, which has been awarded £428,000 to fit a ScotRail train on the West Highland Line with satellite communications equipment, providing reliable broadband on one of the UK’s most remote rail corridors. Other projects focus on helping farmers grow more food through satellite-connected sensors, while further work will help transform access to and availability of 5G and 6G networks.
Space Minister Liz Lloyd said: “This investment shows how innovations in the UK’s satellite sector can improve lives, with better connectivity delivering internet access for more train journeys, and smarter farming. 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 span technical research and development as well as pilot connectivity schemes in rural locations. Officials said the funding would create high-value jobs across the UK, strengthen national security, and help cement Britain’s position as a global force in satellite communication technology.
The announcement builds on a wider push by the UK Space Agency to grow the domestic satellite sector, including a new Connectivity in Low Earth Orbit programme that will offer between £4 million and £25 million per project to companies developing constellation technology. The agency has said the UK needs a competitive constellation supply chain to secure its place in the global space economy.