Guidance

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

Details on open funding opportunities from the UK Space Agency, the space sector, academic, education and community partners.

From:
UK Space Agency
Published
30 April 2014
Last updated
2111 November 2022 — See all updates

Call for ideas: UK National Delegate support for the ESA ARTES Partnership Programme Phase 1

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: UK-based organisations working on telecommunications.

Funding: £15 million.

Deadline: Submission of Expressions of Interest: midday on 17 November 2022. Submission of Outline Proposal cover sheet: midday on 1 December 2022.

The UK Space Agency is seeking industrial partners for major projects in satellite communications through a competitive Call opening in October 2022, with £15 million of funding available.

The phased entry competition will run until Spring 2023 to select the most ambitious and innovative proposals from UK industrial partners. Potential partners will be expected to catalyse investment in the UK economy and champion space to deliver new products and services.

See the Call for Ideas to find out how to apply.

Enabling Technologies Programme - Call One

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: Organisations including academia, industry and (not for profit) government research institutes. Organisations must be registered in the UK

Funding: Grant funding per project is expected to range from £100k to £250k per grant. There is not currently a fixed total amount for the call

Deadline: 21 November 2022

Proposals are sought for projects in areas including innovation; innovative technology proof of concept that could result in a significant technological step-change; new technology developments; establishing new academic/industrial 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.

Example of acceptable activities are:

  • Innovative and/or emerging technology research and development – proof of concept, feasibility studies targeting emerging disruptive technologies, as detailed above
  • In Orbit Servicing and Manufacturing (IOSM): emerging technologies relating to IOSM (e.g. robotics, ADR, LIDAR)
  • Optics: enabling technology relating to optical systems (e.g.FSO Communication, deployable optics, photonics).

See the Enabling Technologies Programme Call One to find out how to apply.

Enabling Technologies Programme - Call Two

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: Organisations including academia, industry and (not for profit) government research institutes. Organisations must be registered in the UK.

Funding: Grant funding per project is expected to range from £100k to £250k per grant. There is not currently a fixed total amount for the call

Deadline: 12 December 2022

This call is a collaborative call with STFC and the UK Space Agency. A joint funding opportunity to develop and research technology for space science.

Proposals are sought for projects in areas including innovation; innovative technology proof of concept that could result in a significant technological step-change; new technology developments; establishing new academic/industrial research collaborations and feasibility studies targeting emerging disruptive technologies.

The call is an open call and encourages emerging and innovative technology development proposals in space science technologies.

See the Enabling Technologies Programme Call Two to find out how to apply.

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.

See the NavISP announcement of opportunity to find out how to apply. Find out more about the NavISP programme.

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.

See the announcement of opportunity to find out how to apply.

Closed Opportunitites

To view closed opportunities, please visit our closed opportunities page.

Published 30 April 2014
Last updated 2111 November 2022 + show all updates

  1. ETP Call One removed as deadline has passed.

  2. Updated funding opportunities, and moved closed opportunities to a different page.

  3. Enabling Technologies Programme - Call Two opened.

  4. Corrected closing of Cluster Development call.

  5. Call for ideas: UK National Delegate support for the ESA ARTES Partnership Programme Phase 1.

  6. Moved LaunchUK Technology Investment funding into Closed for Opportunities section.

  7. Added “Opening Space with 5G” and “5G Hub at Harwell” calls

  8. Added ARTES and ETP funding calls.

  9. Added open calls for cluster funding, space science and exploration bilateral missions, and LaunchUK technology investment.

  10. Updated funding opportunities August 2022.

  11. Closed announcement of opportunity.

  12. Added Enabling Space Exploration and Microgravity Experiments calls.

  13. Added 2022 Exploration Science Announcement of Opportunity and Support for Student Teams selected for ESA Microgravity Student programmes Announcement of Opportunity

  14. ARTES call for applications opened.

  15. Opened NavISP opportunity.

  16. Exploration Science Microgravity grant opportunity has closed.

  17. Updated with relevant information.

  18. Updated information.

  19. New announcement of opportunity added. Funding support for students selected for ESA microgravity programmes.

  20. Space Placements in Industry (SPIN) funding opportunity added.

  21. Page updated to reflect new space for all grant call.

  22. Dated content removed and updated with a link to the latest Space for All grant call.

  23. Calls for proposals are no longer available

  24. The 2018 space call in Horizon 2020 has been published. Information added to page.

  25. Case study document attached

  26. Space for All guidance updated

  27. IPP Finance Form added

  28. National Space Technology Programme announcement of opportunity published.

  29. Attachments inserted

  30. Space for All community grant scheme updated. New round of funding announced.

  31. Update to National Space Technology Programme funding information.

  32. International Space University (ISU) – Scholarship Scheme information added.

  33. Space for Smarter Government Programme call for proposals information added.

  34. Space for All small awards scheme documents updated.

  35. National Space Technology Programme funding round two, call for space technology proposals information added.

  36. Announcement of the second round of the National Space Technology Programme funding added.

  37. Aurora outreach announcement of opportunity, guidance and application form.

  38. First published.

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