Better WiFi on remote trains and access to cutting edge tech for British farmers through £13 million boost to drive next-gen satellite communications
More reliable broadband on remote Scottish railways and affordable sensors which help farmers grow more food.
- Reliable broadband on remote Scottish railways and access to cutting-edge tech for British farmers among 16 new projects backed by £13 million.
- Funding to help transform access and availability of 5G and 6G networks – boosting connectivity and driving growth.
- Projects will create high-value jobs across the UK, strengthen national security, and help cement Britain’s position as a global force in satellite communication technology.
More reliable broadband on remote Scottish railways and affordable sensors which help farmers grow more food are among a raft of new projects which will bring the benefits of space technology into everyday life.
The UK Space Agency is funding 16 projects through a £13 million government investment, supporting the companies and workers developing the satellite communications systems the UK will depend on for decades to come.
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.
Among the projects receiving support, CGI’s SODOR will trial satellite broadband on ScotRail’s West Highland Line, one of Scotland’s most scenic but remote routes. This will bring reliable connectivity to passengers and commuters in areas where traditional mobile networks struggle to reach. This trial will support the government’s wider work to introduce satellite connectivity on all mainland trains - improving availability and connection speeds for passengers across the country.
In agriculture, Farmer Charlie’s GAUFF project is developing affordable satellite-enabled sensors that will give farmers real-time data on their land and crops. That will help deliver better harvests and reduce waste through smarter, more targeted farming, with the technology expected to be available by the end of next summer.
Space Minister Liz Lloyd said:
This investment shows the true breadth of UK space innovation and how innovations in the UK’s satellite sector can improve lives, with better connectivity delivering internet access for more train journeys, and smarter farming. through more reliable connections through to support for our farming communities.
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.
Betty Bonnardel MBE, CEO of Farmer Charlie said:
We are delighted to receive the support of the UK Space Agency, through the European Agency, as it helps Farmer Charlie bring the benefits of precision agriculture to farmers across the UK.
By combining affordable sensors with satellite connectivity, we are making it easier for growers to make informed decisions, improve productivity and farm more sustainably anywhere in the UK.
The 16 projects will be delivered as part of the European Space Agency’s Advanced Research in Telecommunication Systems (ARTES) programme, backed by £13 million in UK Government funding.
The space sector is one of our strongest drivers of growth and opportunity – employing more than 55,000 people and bringing £18.6 billion into the economy every year(1.) This investment will take UK space to the next frontier – backing the innovators developing the faster, smarter and more secure satellite systems which will keep us safe and our economy moving.
Other projects winning backing today include Exobotics Ltd’s STARS project, which will develop ultra-fast satellite communications technology. This will deliver the first satellites in a planned network designed to relay data between satellites and the ground much more quickly.
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.
Notes to Editors
List of Projects
STARS, Exobotics Ltd, London - £2,100,000
Working with Archangel Lightworks and University of Nottingham, this project selected under the Connectivity in Low Earth Orbit Programme2 will develop and demonstrate a next-generation optical communications capability designed to provide ultra-fast, resilient and near real-time connectivity for satellite operators. The project will deliver the first satellites in a planned future data relay network, helping address growing demand for rapid transfer of mission-critical data.
Theia – Software Defined Radio Generic Payload Processor, Airbus Defence and Space UK Ltd, Portsmouth – £1,500,000
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.
QUAKES: Quick Universal Array for Ka-band, E-band, and S-band Earth Stations, Orbital Astronautics Ltd, Goring–On-Thames – £1,710,000
QUAKES is building a compact, portable ground station that can connect to multiple satellites at once and handle everything from low-bandwidth sensor data to high-speed broadband. Because it can be quickly deployed with minimal infrastructure, it is well suited to both civilian and defence uses in challenging or remote environments.
Hybrid Generative Broadcasting & Semantic SATCOM for Satellite Content Delivery in Space-Air-Ground Integrated Networks, AWTG Ltd, London – £684,000
This project is using artificial intelligence to make satellite broadcasting more efficient, reducing the amount of data and power needed to deliver high-quality video and media content. Rather than transmitting a full picture every time, the system intelligently reconstructs content at the receiving end, saving bandwidth across satellite, airborne and ground-based networks.
Optimus, Archangel Lightworks Ltd, Oxford– £1,845,000
Project Optimus is building a high-speed laser communications system that can transmit data between satellites and the ground at speeds of over 100 gigabits per second — roughly ten times faster than its predecessor. Compact and quick to deploy, it could support everything from broadband internet and Earth observation to space-based data centres.
NextGen Deep Space & Lunar Ground TT&C Processor (TTCP Lite), BAE Systems Applied Intelligence Limited, Chelmsford – £123,000
This project is exploring how ground station systems that are used to track and communicate with deep-space missions billions of km away can be modernised. It is an important step towards building a fully-digital ground infrastructure to support future space exploration.
DTN Network Operations Centre, Aalyria Technologies (UK) Ltd, London – £750,000
Working with Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall, this project is developing networking technology that can maintain reliable communications even across the vast distances of deep space, where signals can take minutes or hours to travel. It will help lay the groundwork for future lunar missions and programmes such as ESA’s Moonlight initiative.
NG-OGS Accelerator: Accelerating Next-Gen Optical and Quantum Ground Station Networks, Lumino Technologies Ltd, London – £1,140,000
This project is developing next generation optical ground stations - the facilities on the ground that use lasers to communicate with satellites - making these cheaper and easier to build and deploy at scale. NG-OGS Accelerator will help the UK keep pace with growing demand for high-speed, secure satellite communications as well as enable long-range quantum communications.
Digital BUC / HPA, ETL Systems Limited, Hereford – £895,000
This project will modernise satellite ground infrastructure by replacing complex analogue uplink equipment with digital technology. This will enable more flexible, cloud-based satellite services and create infrastructure that is easier to upgrade, more adaptable and better suited to future satellite communications networks.
“UPLINK-GEO” – Power Scaled Erbium-Doped Fibre Laser and Hollow-Core Fibre Beam Delivery to Enable Optical Ground Stations with Extended Range to GEO and Beyond, Woodrow Scientific Ltd, Southampton – £376,000
This project is developing more powerful laser technology to extend the range of optical ground stations, allowing them to communicate with satellites in higher orbits further from Earth. This is essential infrastructure for future high-capacity satellite networks that use light rather than radio waves to transmit data.
Satellites for Digitalisation of Railways (SODOR) CCN 4 – West Highland Line Pilot, CGI IT UK Ltd, Leatherhead – £428,000
This project will fit a ScotRail train on the West Highland Line with satellite communications equipment to provide reliable broadband in one of the UK’s most remote rail corridors. It will demonstrate how satellite technology can fill connectivity gaps where mobile and broadband networks simply don’t reach.
NOVACOM2: Propulsion Pressure Regulation Equipment for HET, Nammo UK, Aylesbury – £860,000
This project is developing and testing advanced components that control the propulsion systems used to manoeuvre electric satellites in orbit. More precise and reliable propulsion technology helps satellites operate more efficiently and extends their working lives, benefiting operators across the global space industry.
Gardens, Allotments and Urban Farming Facilitator (GAUFF) Sensor - TN/NTN Optimisation, Farmer Charlie, London – £199,000
This project is creating low-cost, easy-to-use sensors that help farmers and growers monitor their crops, soil and local environment using a combination of satellite and mobile connectivity. The technology is designed to work in rural areas with poor or no internet coverage, helping to bring the benefits of precision agriculture to more people.
“UPLINK-4.0” – UPLINK Amplifier Technology to Meet the Challenges of SDA OCT 4.0 Burst-Mode Operation, Woodrow Scientific Ltd, Southampton – £205,000
This project is developing laser amplifier technology that can deliver much higher bursts of power when needed, allowing ground stations to communicate more reliably with satellites in different orbits. It will help ensure the UK’s optical communications infrastructure is ready for the next generation of satellite constellations.
Lacuna User Terminal Development, Lacuna Space Ltd, Harwell – £429,000
This project is developing and manufacturing a new generation of small, affordable devices that connect everyday objects and sensors to the internet via satellite — even in the most remote parts of the world. By building these devices in the UK, the project will also strengthen domestic manufacturing and supply chain capabilities.
TS-SDN based SMO for 5G/6G NTNs, Aalyria Technologies (UK) Ltd, London, – £472,000
This project is developing the software interface that allows terrestrial networks and satellite systems to work together seamlessly, so that users can stay connected as they move between areas with mobile coverage and areas only served by satellite. It also uses AI to reduce interference between satellites, improving overall network performance for future 5G and 6G services.
Statistical References
1. Size and Health of the UK Space Industry 2024 Size and Health of the UK Space Industry 2024 - GOV.UK