Extra £13m for wide-ranging satellite tech projects through ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunication Systems (ARTES).
The UK Space Agency has announced funding worth £13m for16 different projects developing satellite communications systems across the UK.
This includes £428,000 for a trial of satellite broadband on ScotRail’s scenic but remote West Highland Line, delivered by CGI IT Ltd’s Satellites for Digitalisation of Railways (SODOR). The aim is to provide reliable connectivity to passengers and commuters in regions that traditional mobile networks struggle to reach.
There is also £199,000 for Farmer Charlie’s Gardens, Allotments and Urban Farming Facilitator (GUAFF) initiative, developing affordable sensors to provide farmers with real-time data on their crops, soil and local environment. Here, the aim is to deliver better harvests and reduce waste through smarter, more targeted interventions. The new tech is expected to be in use by as soon as next summer.
Exobotics Ltd’s STARS project is receiving £2.1m, which it will use to develop ultra-fast satellite communications tech and deliver the first satellites in a planned network designed to relay data to and from the ground more quickly. Other funded projects will develop more efficient broadcasting tech, better deep-space communications, and even better monitoring of propulsion systems.
The UK space sector employs more than 55,000 people and brings some £18.6bn into the economy each year.
However, some have raised concerns about the environmental impact of the recent, huge increase in launches of satellites. Earlier this year, we spoke to Dr Robin Wing from the Leibniz Institute of Atmospheric Physics, lead author of an academic study tracking the lithium plume produced after a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket exploded on re-entry.
Liz Lloyd, Minister for Space, says: ‘This investment shows the true breadth of UK space innovation and how innovations in the UK’s satellite sector can improve lives, with better connectivity delivering internet access for more train journeys, and smarter farming. through more reliable connections through to support for our farming communities. 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.’
Betty Bonnardel MBE, CEO of Farmer Charlie, adds: ‘We are delighted to receive the support of the UK Space Agency, through the European Agency, as it helps Farmer Charlie bring the benefits of precision agriculture to farmers across the UK. By combining affordable sensors with satellite connectivity, we are making it easier for growers to make informed decisions, improve productivity and farm more sustainably anywhere in the UK.’
Photo: David Becker / Unsplash
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