Apply for funding: space-related R&D, innovation and education

Open opportunities

LaunchUK Technology Investment

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: Organisations, including industry and academia, that are interested in developing their technology, products, services or capabilities related to UK Launch.

Funding: Grant amount per project will lie between £10,000 and £400,000 for project deliverables to be completed by March 2023 (FY 22/23). The UK Space Agency reserves the right to also consider proposals that may be above the maximum amount stated.

Deadline: 102 SeptemberOctober 2022

The UK Space Agency is inviting applications from organisations that are interested in developing their UK Launch technology, products, services or capabilities. The programme will provide grant funding to UK project teams to support the development of their technology, products, services and capabilities.

Bilateral Space ScienceCluster andDevelopment ExplorationFunding Missions - Statement of Intent PhaseCall

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: HigherSpace Educationclusters institutions and otherregions. researchIf organisationsyou basedare inunsure theof UKyour eligibility, please contact localgrowth@ukspaceagency.gov.uk.

Funding: TheVaries. total£5.2 budgetmillion availablebetween two funding pots, for thehigh-impact callprojects (all(Pot threeA) categories)and willspace notcluster exceedmanagement £3(Pot millionB), inwith FYgrants 2022/23.between Additionally,£20,000 subjectand to£500,000.

Deadline: funds14 beingOctober made2022

This available,call budgetaims willto notsupport exceedthe £7development millionof inworld 2023/24,class andspace £11clusters, milliona key strategic objective set out in 2024/25.

Deadline:the 14National SeptemberSpace 2022Strategy.

TheTo UKbe Spacesuccessful, Agencyapplications announcesmust abuild newon fundingexisting linespace forsector ainvestment, Spaceresearch Scienceand capabilities in the region and Explorationpresent (SS&E)a programmevalid featuringproposal bilateralfor agreementsnew withactivities internationalthat spaceshould agencieshave outsidea ofdemonstrable ESAimpact (e.g.on NASA/US,local JAXA/Japan,economic CSA/Canada).growth.

UK willNational beDelegate managedsupport byfor the CentreOPS-SAT Versatile Optical Laboratory for EarthTelecoms Observation(VOLT) Instrumentationand (CEOI).Lunar TheCommunications UK- SpaceARTES

Funding Agencytype: fundsResearch, innovation and development

Who can apply: UK-based organisations working on telecommunications projects. Further eligibility guidance can be found in the CEOI,accompanying whichdocuments.

Funding: isUp ato partnership£7,000,000 of Airbusfunding Defencebeing andmade Spaceavailable Ltd,to QinetiQsupport Ltd,the Universitydevelopment of Leicesterthe test bed satellite platform, payloads and UKRIground Rutherfordsegment. AppletonUp Laboratory.to It£1,500,000 of funding is anticipatedbeing thatmade available to support the transitiondevelopment of successfulLunar proposalsCommunications. toNo contractupper andor futurelower callslimit willhas bebeen managedset byfor aindividual newprojects

Deadline: team4 inNovember the2022

The UK Space Agency’sAgency Technology,is Scienceinviting applications for UK support to the ARTES Scylight programme to develop technologies, products, and Explorationservices (TSE)in directorate.optical and quantum telecommunications to lead or take part in OPS-SAT VOLT and a second call for applications for Lunar Communications.

SpaceEnabling ClusterTechnologies DevelopmentProgramme Funding- Call One

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: SpaceOrganisations clustersincluding academia, industry and regions.(not Iffor youprofit) aregovernment unsureresearch ofinstitutes. yourOrganisations eligibility,must pleasebe contactregistered localgrowth@ukspaceagency.gov.uk.in the UK

Funding: Varies.Grant £5.2funding millionper betweenproject twois fundingexpected pots,to forrange high-impactfrom projects£100k (Potto A)£250k andper spacegrant. clusterThere managementis (Potnot B),currently witha grantsfixed betweentotal £20,000amount andfor £500,000.the call

Deadline: 1421 OctoberNovember 2022

ThisProposals callare aimssought tofor supportprojects thein developmentareas including innovation; innovative technology proof of worldconcept classthat spacecould clusters,result in a keysignificant strategictechnological objectivestep-change; setnew outtechnology indevelopments; theestablishing Nationalnew Spaceacademic/industrial Strategy.research collaborations and feasibility studies targeting emerging disruptive technologies.  This call is open to any theme with an interest in: In Orbit Servicing and Manufacturing (IOSM) and Optics.

ToExample beof successful,acceptable applicationsactivities mustare:

• Innovative buildand/or onemerging existingtechnology spaceresearch sectorand investment,development research– andproof capabilitiesof inconcept, thefeasibility regionstudies targeting emerging disruptive technologies, as detailed above
• In Orbit Servicing and presentManufacturing a(IOSM): validemerging proposaltechnologies forrelating newto activitiesIOSM that(e.g. shouldrobotics, haveADR, aLIDAR)
• Optics: demonstrableenabling impacttechnology onrelating localto economicoptical growth.
  systems (e.g.FSO Communication, deployable optics, photonics).

Navigation Innovation Support Programme (NavISP)

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: UK organisations working in positioning, navigation and timing undertaking technology research and development focused on commercial innovation.

Funding: Varies. 100% funding for developing early technologies and innovations; typically between €200,000 and €800,000 for space-enabled positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) technology solutions and innovations.

Deadline: Open until further notice

Since 2017, the UK has invested €50 million into NavISP to support the UK space PNT sector to innovate the next generation of space-enabled and space-supported navigation products, services and applications.

The UK investment in the programme is available to support UK organisations to undertake technology research and development focused on commercial innovation.

Student support: ESA microgravity programmes

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: UK-based teams successfully selected by ESA for certain student support programmes.

Funding: Up to £5,000

Deadline: Open until further notice

This announcement of opportunity offers up to £5,000 (if available) to support students participating in ESA microgravity programmes.

Closed opportunities

These funding opportunities are not currently open to applicants.

Bilateral Space Science and Exploration Missions - Statement of Intent Phase

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: Higher Education institutions and other research organisations based in the UK

Funding: The total budget available for the call (all three categories) will not exceed £3 million in FY 2022/23. Additionally, subject to funds being made available, budget will not exceed £7 million in 2023/24, and £11 million in 2024/25.

Deadline: 14 September 2022

The UK Space Agency announces a new funding line for a Space Science and Exploration (SS&E) programme featuring bilateral agreements with international space agencies outside of ESA (e.g. NASA/US, JAXA/Japan, CSA/Canada).

Due to time constraints, this first competition will be managed by the Centre for Earth Observation Instrumentation (CEOI). The UK Space Agency funds the CEOI, which is a partnership of Airbus Defence and Space Ltd, QinetiQ Ltd, University of Leicester and UKRI Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. It is anticipated that the transition of successful proposals to contract and future calls will be managed by a new team in the UK Space Agency’s Technology, Science and Exploration (TSE) directorate.

ARTES UK National Delegate Support Programme

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: UK companies looking to develop technologies, products and services in telecommunications.

Funding: Up to €10,000,000. No upper or lower limit has been set for individual projects

Deadline: 14 July 2022

The UK Space Agency is inviting applications for UK support to the ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) Competitiveness and Growth programme from UK companies looking to develop technologies, products and services in telecommunications.

Enabling Space Exploration

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: UK organisations working on projects to develop the capability of the UK in space exploration.

Funding: Varies. Up to £1 million is available. 3-5 projects are expected to be funded up to £200,000 each

Deadline: 29 July 2022

Proposals are sought for projects to develop the capability of the UK in space exploration and position the UK to participate in, and benefit from, future space exploration missions.

Microgravity Experiments

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: UK organisations working on ideas for experiments for development and flight on the International Space Station.

Funding: Varies. Up to £3 million is available. 1-3 projects are expected to be funded

Deadline: 29 July 2022

The UK Space Agency announces an opportunity of a two-stage competition for ideas for experiments for development and flight on the International Space Station.

Exploration Science Announcement of Opportunity

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: Academics from the UK or overseas, working at UK research organisations.

Funding: Please see details under ‘Award Value’ in application documents

Closed: 7 July 2022

The UK is a leading investor in the European Space Agency’s Exploration Programme and the UK Space Agency is committed to securing the maximum benefits from this investment. This funding is available to:

• support science and research that uses data from Mars exploration missions or underpins future Mars exploration missions,
• support scientists selected for groups and/or science teams, campaign science groups and other definition work related to Exploration missions.

Exploration Science Microgravity grant

Funding type: Academic research grant

Who can apply: UK based researchers with facility access to microgravity/space environments research platforms.

Funding: Up to £5,000 per grant (see announcement)

Closed: 11 April 2022

This UK Space Agency grant supports the preparation of experiments that use microgravity and other space environment research platforms.

Space Placements in Industry (SPIN)

Funding type: Work placement support

Who can apply: Organisations offering a work placement

Funding: Up to £3,000 per award (fund of at least £75,000)

Closed: 1 April 2022

SPIN offers grants of up to £3,000 for organisations to take on graduate or postgraduate students for work placements in the space industry. Learn more about the Space Placements in Industry (SPIN): Award scheme 2022, including eligibility, project suitability, how to apply and more.

Space for All community award scheme

Funding type: Education projects

Who can apply: Academic and research institutions, charities, trusts and companies, and individuals sponsored by one of these.

Funding: Grants of up to £10k (from at least £65k total fund)

Closed: 18 February 2022

The Space for All community award scheme makes grants of up to £10,000 available for winning proposals for educational projects that capitalise on the inspirational value of space. The deadline for proposals for the 2022 scheme was 18 February.

National Space Technology Programme

Funding type: Tech development

Who can apply: Businesses operating in the UK space and related sectors

Funding: Varies, see guidance

Deadline: Not currently open to applications

This programme makes funding opportunities available for early-stage technology development projects that help to grow the UK’s space sector and capability. Read more about the National Space Technology Programme.

National Space Innovation Programme

Funding type: Research and innovation

Who can apply: UK organisations that can demonstrate a high probability of success meeting the aims of a qualifying opportunity.

Funding: Maximum £2m per project from a £10m fund

Deadline: Not currently open to applications

This programme supports the development of innovative products, services and technologies that have application in the space sector. Read more about the National Space Innovation Programme

International Partnership Programme

Funding type: Innovation and sustainable development

Who can apply: Organisations who can deliver a project that delivers a sustainable satellite-enabled solution to partners in a developing country.

Funding: Up to £8m per project, from a total fund of over £30m per year

Deadline: Not currently open to applications

The International Partnership Programme is a £150m initiative that makes use of the UK space sector’s research and innovation strengths to provide sustainable economic, societal or environmental benefits to emerging and developing economies around the world. It launched in 2016.

Find out more about the International Partnership Programme.

*[NavISP] Navigation Innovation Support Programme *[PNT] Positioning, navigation and timing