UK firms secure multi-million pound government funding for space sector

A raft of UK businesses have secured multi-million pound government funding for the space sector.

Six firms have won a share of over £2m in government funding to help shape options for the UK’s satellite navigation and timing capability to protect UK Critical National Infrastructure.

Space companies Airbus, CGI, Sirius Analysis, GMV NSL, Inmarsat, and QinetiQ will each receive a share of the funding to help develop system design and operation, signals and algorithms, resilience, assurance, and cost modelling for the UK Space Agency’s Space Based Positioning, Navigation and Timing Programme (SBPP).

It is hoped that work from the programme will boost the UK’s position as a tech leader, as position, navigation and timing (PNT) services from satellite navigation systems underpin national security, defence, and transport, as well as supporting future technologies.

UK Space Agency deputy CEO Ian Annett commented: “The UK is critically dependent on position, navigation and timing information from satellite navigation systems in transport, communications, energy distribution, and emergency response.

“This initial funding will help us design options for a new system to support our critical national infrastructure, whilst growing the space sector, boosting economic growth and making daily life more secure for people everywhere in the UK.”