UK awards £100m for space R&D
March 7, 2024
By Chris Forrester
The UK’s government is awarding £100 million (€117m) in grants to British-based space organisations in particular focusing on the development of low Earth orbiting (LEO) satellites. In addition, it is also granting £10 million to Scotland’s SaxaVord rocket launch site.
The intention is to highlight development of on-board data processing, laser optical links for satellite-to-satellite communications and end-user terminals.
Jeremy Hunt, the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer told Parliament that the cash injection would be matched or multiplied by industry and also aided by another £60 million coming from the European Space Agency.
The cash might be helpful to Eutelsat’s OneWeb subsidiary as it develops its second-generation LEO craft.