Portsmouth firm handed £1.5m as part of government funding project
£13m has been invested by the government
A Portsmouth firm has been handed £1.5m as part of a government funding project.
The UK Space Agency is funding 16 projects through a £13m government investment, supporting the companies and workers developing the satellite communications systems the UK will depend on for decades to come.
The projects will be delivered as part of the European Space Agency’s Advanced Research in Telecommunication Systems (ARTES) programme, backed by UK government funding.
“Satellites are the backbone of modern life, powering the navigation apps we rely on, the weather forecasts that keep us safe from storms and extreme heat, and the broadband connections that keep friends and family in touch,” a government spokesperson said.
Airbus Defence and Space UK Ltd in Portsmouth has been given the cash injection for its Software Defined Radio Generic Payload Processor - known as Theia.
The spokesperson said: “This project is developing technology that allows to expand Airbus’ existing Hyperion Processor (Hyperion Evo) by offering the capability to tailor specific Processor functions to the mission needs as well as reprogramming and updating those functions while in orbit, rather than being locked into a fixed set of functions before and after launch.
“This makes Airbus On-board Processors and satellites more adaptable, helps operators get more out of them over time, and reduces costs.”
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 space sector is one of our strongest drivers of growth and opportunity – employing more than 55,000 people and bringing £18.6bn into the economy. This investment will take UK space to the “next frontier” – backing innovators developing faster, smarter and more secure satellite systems which will “keep us safe and our economy moving”.
Further projects will also improve the UK’s capabilities in deep space and lunar communications, supporting future missions which explore our universe.
These investments will boost the UK’s ability to shape the curve of progress in space technology – backing the companies who will deliver jobs, investment, and opportunities that will support communities across the country for decades to come.