The UK Space Agency has announced a £10 million funding
competition that will help UK companies put their technologies at
the forefront of a new generation of global telecommunications
services, products and applications.
Announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona – an
international event for connectivity and communications – the
funding is part of the UK’s commitment to the European Space
Agency’s (ESA) Advanced Research in Telecommunication Systems
(ARTES) programme.
The £10 million
investment is open to a diverse range of innovative products
or components, systems or services, and any aspect of the space,
ground or network segments. This could include breakthrough
technologies such as the development of lasers to communicate in
space, or for pioneering market opportunities, such as the use of
space tech to boost the efficiency of global shipping and
trade.
MP, Minister for Space at
the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology,
said:
Telecommunications is vital for the future of the UK, by
connecting remote areas, improving healthcare and upgrading
navigation, which is why it is a key government priority, backed
by schemes like Project Gigabit rolling out super-fast
connectivity across the country.
Our additional investment of £10 million today will put the UK at
the forefront of the next generation of telecoms, as well as
supporting the experts and innovators who make these pioneering
breakthroughs possible, boosting the UK economy through our
thriving space sector.
Dr Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said:
Satellites have connected people and businesses across the world
for decades, and the UK has a rich heritage in advanced
communications technology.
As demand for global connectivity and data continues to soar,
this funding will help UK companies develop and broaden their
range of products and services – from satellite components to
ground systems – and collaborate with new partners. It is a great
example of how we can use our leading role in ESA to catalyse
investment and unlock the benefits of future telecoms
technologies.
ARTES aims to unleash innovation in telecommunications services
that improve life on Earth and unlock growth opportunities for
businesses. The new funding announced today could support
projects that help improve connectivity in remote or rural areas,
enable the transport of medical supplies via drone, or manage
traffic for the emerging generation of autonomous vehicles.
Previous projects funded under the programme include the
development of a miniature ground station to support disaster
relief operations, devices to improve the efficiency of high data
transfer satellites, and the first European in-orbit
demonstration of a new type of water propulsion.
Digital infrastructure is crucial to unlocking opportunities for
growth and prosperity and delivering the government’s mission to
put the UK at the forefront of global scientific and
technological advancement, and future telecoms is one of the five
critical technologies identified in the Science and Technology
Framework.
The UK Space Agency will host a
webinar on 22 March for potential applicants looking to learn
more about how their ideas could support this ambition, and how
to bid for investment.
The UK is one of the leading ARTES partners, having committed a
total £190 million to the programme at the ESA Council of
Ministers in November 2022. The UK Space Agency announced an
initial round of £20 million funding at the opening of ESA’s
European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications
(ECSAT), at the Harwell Space Cluster in Oxfordshire. ECSAT
includes a 5G/6G Hub, which is generating new opportunities
associated with converged satellite and terrestrial
telecommunications networks.
Antonio Franchi, ESA Head of 5G/6G Non-Terrestrial Networks
Programme Office, said:
ESA is proud of its strong partnerships that underpin the ARTES
programme. Working in collaboration helps us maximise the impact
of ESA’s expertise in communications, with the aim of connecting
everyone, everywhere and at any time.
By supporting innovation, we support the advancement of the
digital transformation of society and industry. Together, we
ensure Europe’s leading position in the field of
telecommunications.
