Notice

Appendix C: Guidance for UKSA C-LEO Call 2: ARTES Only Application Form

Published 4 March 2026

Lead Organisation Information

01. Organisation Name

Provide the name of the legal entity applying for funding.

02. Organisation Address

Provide the registered address of the Lead Organisation.

03. Organisation Type

Please select from the list below what type of organisation is applying for funding.

• Micro
• Small or Midsized Entity
• Large Business
• Academic
• Research and Technology Organisation (RTO)

04. UK Status

Please confirm that the Lead Organisation applying for funding is based in the UK.

• Yes
• No

05. UK Registration Number

Provide the UK company registration or, if relevant, charity or other registration.

06. Headcount for last financial year of accounts

Please provide the Lead Organisation’s headcount figures for the last financial year of accounts.

07. Turnover for last financial year of accounts

Please provide the Lead Organisation’s turnover figures for the last financial year of accounts.

08. Organisation Summary

Please provide a short overview of the organisation’s background and expertise.

09. Website

If applicable, please provide the Lead Organisation’s website address.

10. Contact - Name

Provide the full name of the main point of contact for the Lead Organisation.

11. Contact - Job Title

Provide the job title of the main point of contact for the Lead Organisation.

12. Contact - Email Address

Provide the email address for the main point of contact for the Lead Organisation.

13. Contact - Telephone Number

Provide the contact telephone number for the main point of contact for the Lead Organisation.

UK Partner(s) Information

14. UK Partners

Are there any UK Partners involved in this project?

• Yes
• No

15. Number of UK Partners

Please confirm how many UK partners are involved in this project.

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 or more

16. Organisation Name(s)

Provide the names of all UK Partners involved in this project.

17. Organisation Address(es)

Provide the registered addresses for all UK Partners involved in this project.

18. UK Registration Number(s)

Provide the UK company registration or, if relevant, charity or other registration for each UK Partner involved in this project.

19. Company Summary(/ies)

Please provide a short overview of each UK partners’ background and expertise.

20. Contact – Name(s)

Provide the full name of the main point of contact for each UK Partner.

21. Contact - Email Address(es)

Provide the email address of the point of contact for each UK Partner.

Non‑UK Partners (within the ESA Member States)

22. Non‑UK Partners (within the ESA Member States)

Are there any Non‑UK Partners (within the ESA Member States) involved in this project?

• Yes
• No

23. Number of Non‑UK Partners (within the ESA Member States)

Please confirm how many Non‑UK Partners (within the ESA Member States) are involved in this project.

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 or more

24. Organisation Name(s)

Provide the names of all Non‑UK Partners (within the ESA Member States) involved in this project.

25. Organisation Address(es)

Provide the registered addresses of all Non‑UK Partners (within the ESA Member States) involved in this project.

26. Company Summary(/ies)

Please provide a short overview of each Non‑UK Partners’ (within the ESA Member States) background and expertise.

27. Contact - Name

Provide the full name of the main point of contact for each Non‑UK Partner (within the ESA Member States).

28. Contact - Email Address(es)

Provide the email address of the point of contact for each Non‑UK Partner (within the ESA Member States).

Non‑UK Partners (outside the ESA Member States)

29. Non‑UK Partners (outside the ESA Member States)

Are there any Non‑UK Partners (outside the ESA Member States) involved in this project?

• Yes
• No

30. Number of Non‑UK Partners (outside the ESA Member States)

Please confirm how many Non‑UK Partners (outside the ESA Member States) are involved in this project.

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 or more

31. Organisation Name(s)

Provide the names of all Non‑UK Partners (outside the ESA Member States) involved in this project.

32. Organisation Address(es)

Provide the registered addresses of all Non‑UK Partners (outside the ESA Member States) involved in this project.

33. Company Summary(/ies)

Please provide a short overview of each Non‑UK Partners’ (outside the ESA Member States) background and expertise.

34. Contact – Name(s)

Provide the full name of the main point of contact for each Non‑UK Partner (outside the ESA Member States).

35. Contact - Email Address(es)

Provide the email address of the point of contact for each Non‑UK Partner (outside the ESA Member States).

Project Information

36. Project Title

Provide the name you have given the project.

37. Technology Area(s)

State whether this is for On‑Board (Regenerative) Processing (OBP), Active Antennas, Optical Links, Networking and Routing or User Terminals. You may choose multiple technologies if applicable.

• On‑Board (Regenerative) Processing
• Active Antennas
• Optical Links
• Networking and Routing
• User Terminals

38. ESA Development Phase(s)

1. Definition Phase
   Main Activities:
   • Technical studies
     Outcome:
   • Performance requirements defined
   • System analysis completed
2. Technology Phase
   Main Activities:
   • Technical risk mitigation (excluding any qualification or industrialisation)
   • Early in‑orbit experimentation (when ground‑based testing is not possible)
     Outcome:
   • Breadboard, prototype, or Engineering Model (EM)
   • Flight hardware for early in‑orbit test purposes
3. Product Phase
   Main Activities:
   • Development
   • Qualification
   • Verification
   • Industrialisation
     Outcome:
   • Space product: Engineering/Qualification Model (EQM) or similar
   • Ground product: Verified product in a non‑operational environment
4. Demonstration Phase
   Main Activities:
   • Space product: In‑orbit validation/demonstration (“Atlas”)
   • Ground product: Validation in operational environment
     Outcome:
   • Flight hardware
   • Product validated in an operational environment

39. Duration - Start Date

Please include your anticipated project start date.

40. Duration - Completion Date

Please include your anticipated project completion date.

41. Total Project Cost in GBP (£)

Provide the total cost of the project in Pound Sterling (£).

42. Total Funding Request in GBP (£)

1. Definition Phase
   Technology Readiness Level (TRL): 0–3
   Funding Level Up To:
   • Non‑SME (Large Businesses): 50%
   • SME: 75%
   • Universities or Research Institutes with no commercial interest in the product: 50%
2. Technology Phase
   Technology Readiness Level (TRL): Up to 4–6 (risk dependent)
   Funding Level Up To:
   • Non‑SME (Large Businesses): 50%
   • SME: 75%
   • Universities or Research Institutes with no commercial interest in the product: 100%
3. Product Phase
   Technology Readiness Level (TRL): Up to 7
   Funding Level Up To:
   • Non‑SME (Large Businesses): 50%
   • SME: 75%
   • Universities or Research Institutes with no commercial interest in the product: 50%
4. Demonstration Phase
   Technology Readiness Level (TRL): Up to 8
   Funding Level Up To:
   • Non‑SME (Large Businesses): 50%
   • SME: 75%
   • Universities or Research Institutes with no commercial interest in the product: Not allowed

43. Essential Non‑UK Expenditure in GBP (£)

Provide details of any non‑UK expenditure, including the value of the expense in Pound Sterling (£) and where you intend to purchase from.

Innovation

44. Project Summary

Please use this section to give a clear, high level overview of your proposed innovation. Briefly describe the core idea, the problem or challenge it addresses and the innovative approach you plan to take.

Outline, at a high level, how you intend to deliver the work — for example, the main development steps, concept exploration, or early design and testing activities. You do not need to include detailed technical methodologies or delivery plans at this stage; these will be requested in later documentation if your application proceeds.

Your answer should provide the UK Space Agency with a concise understanding of what you intend to achieve and the broad approach you will take, without going into depth.

45. Starting TRL

Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) describe how mature your technology is at the start of the project. Please enter the starting TRL (1–9) that best reflects the current stage of development today.

If you need help identifying the appropriate TRL level, please refer to the ESA TRL definitions here: Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)

46. Completion TRL

Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) describe how mature your technology is at the start of the project. Please enter the starting TRL (1–9) that best reflects the current stage of development today.

If you need help identifying the appropriate TRL level, please refer to the ESA TRL definitions here: Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)

47. Aims and Objectives

Explain the intended outcome of your project and what you expect the final product, service, tool, or capability to deliver. This should include the specific technological improvements, performance gains, functionality, or new capabilities the project aims to unlock.

Where relevant, set out measurable objectives (e.g., target specifications, TRL progression, manufacturing improvements, interoperability, or user benefits). The UK Space Agency should clearly understand what success looks like and how your innovation will advance current capabilities.

48. Deliverables

Provide a high level description of the key outputs your project will generate. Deliverables might include prototypes, subsystem designs, validated models, software tools, test results, manufacturing processes, or other tangible outcomes that demonstrate technical progress.

Your summary should focus on what the project will produce, rather than detailed schedules or milestones. If your application progresses to the next stage, you will have the opportunity to provide a more detailed breakdown in the subsequent documentation.

49. Novelty and Technical Innovation

At this stage, please provide only a brief, high level explanation of what makes your approach innovative. You do not need to go into technical depth here — that will come later if you are invited to progress to the next stage.

Summarise the key aspects that differentiate your idea from current solutions or practices. This could include a novel concept, a new way of applying an existing technology, a step change in performance, or an improvement that supports scalability or manufacturability.

Your answer should help the UK Space Agency understand the essence of the innovation without requiring detailed specifications, design information or technical justifications at this point.

50. Approach and Methodology

At this stage, please provide a brief overview of how you plan to undertake the work, focusing only on the major activities and overall approach rather than detailed technical plans or work package structures.

You may outline the general methods, development steps, or types of activities you expect to undertake (e.g., early design work, initial modelling, prototype exploration, engagement with partners or customers, or preliminary testing).

You do not need to provide detailed methodologies, engineering specifications, testing procedures, or technical breakdowns here — these will be requested in a later document if your application is successful.

Your response should give the UK Space Agency confidence that you have a clear and credible high level route to delivering the proposed innovation, without going into deep technical detail at this stage.

51. Anticipated Risks

This section is your opportunity to demonstrate that you understand the uncertainties your project may face and that you have a credible plan for managing them. UK Space Agency defines a risk as “an uncertain event or set of events that, should it occur, will influence the achievement of objectives”—risks can relate to technical delivery, commercial plans, partnerships, resources, regulatory issues, or external dependencies.

You should identify your top five risks—those that would have the greatest impact on delivery, schedule, cost, or outcomes if they materialised. For each risk, provide a clear and frank description of:

• What the risk is and why it matters
• What might cause it to occur
• What the impact would be on your project (technical, financial, operational, commercial, or reputational)
• How likely it is to arise within the project timeframe
• Your mitigation strategy—the specific actions you will take to reduce the likelihood, reduce the impact, or actively manage the risk if it does occur
• Any early warning indicators, dependencies, or assumptions linked to the risk

Your mitigations should be practical, proportionate and evidence based. This could include design activities, supplier or customer commitments, testing plans, resourcing strategies, governance controls, or access to specialist expertise.

We are looking for honest, realistic risk assessments, not optimistic or generic statements. A well thought through risk section strengthens your proposal: it shows that you understand the complexities of delivering your project and have credible plans in place to ensure success. The UK Space Agency’s risk management expectations emphasise accuracy, clarity and alignment to objectives, so please ensure your responses reflect how risks relate directly to your planned activities.

Commercial Opportunities

52. Summary of Commercial Opportunities

Please use this section to summarise the commercial opportunity your project is targeting and explain how your proposal will help meet growing market demand for high volume constellation production.

You should briefly set out:

• The market opportunity you are pursuing (e.g. specific customer segments, global demand trends, or emerging markets your technology enables).
• The commercial problem or need your innovation addresses, and why now is the right time to pursue it.
• How your project will support commercialisation, such as improving manufacturability, scalability, cost efficiency, resilience, or readiness for production at constellation scale.
• The commercial pathway, including routes to market, partnerships, sales pipelines, or commitments from prospective customers.
• How the opportunity benefits the UK, for example by strengthening domestic supply chains, enabling exports, or positioning the UK competitively in next generation telecoms and LEO markets.

Your response should provide enough detail to demonstrate that your project has a credible route to commercial adoption and will help accelerate the technologies needed to deliver high volume satellite constellations.

53. Prospective Customers

• Customers refers to organisations that would purchase or deploy your technology or solution.
• Strategic partners refers to organisations that will materially enable delivery (e.g. network operators, primes, OEMs, systems integrators).
• Letters of Intent (LoIs), Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), pilot agreements or email confirmations can be cited as evidence.

54. Commercial Customers

Please use this section to demonstrate any early traction, market validation or strategic interest in your project. This helps the UK Space Agency assess the credibility of your commercial pathway and the strength of your ecosystem relationships.

Please provide:

• Names of organisations you have engaged with (customers, end users, primes, operators, integrators, strategic partners, etc.).
• Nature of the engagement, such as:
  Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
  Letters of Intent (LoI)
  Pilot agreement or trial access
  Commercial or technical discussions
  Negotiations on future purchase or deployment
• Any commitments made, for example:
  Access to testbeds, facilities or datasets
  Co‑funding contributions
  Agreement to participate in trials
  Indications of purchase intent or adoption
• Supporting evidence, such as letters, emails, or formal agreements (attach or reference where available).

Clear and specific evidence of support strengthens your application. If discussions are still at an early stage, outline who you are engaging with, the status of discussions, and what further commitments you anticipate.

55. Commercial Applications

Please use this section to explain how the technology you are developing will be used commercially once it is fully matured. The UK Space Agency needs to understand the real world application, who will use it and how it will create value in the market.

You should outline:

• The primary commercial use case – how and where the final product will be deployed (e.g. satellite terminals, payload subsystems, ground segment tools, manufacturing processes, network components).
• How the technology will be applied in practice, including the problem it solves or the capability it enhances for customers or end users.
• Whether the technology enables other technologies or applications, such as:
  Reducing cost or build time for constellation production
  Improving performance or resilience for LEO systems
  Unlocking new service offerings or downstream applications
  Enabling integration into larger value chains (e.g. primes, operators, OEMs, integrators)
• The potential markets, sectors or customer groups that will benefit from the product.
• Any competitive advantages, such as scalability, manufacturability, cost reduction, uniqueness, or alignment with industry demand for high volume production.

This section should clearly show that your innovation has a viable commercial path and will contribute to the wider ecosystem, whether as a standalone product or by enabling other technologies and applications.

56. Intellectual Property

Please confirm whether the Intellectual Property (IP) generated through this project will be used within the United Kingdom. This helps the UK Space Agency understand how the outcomes of the work will contribute to the UK’s space sector, economy, and wider national capability.

Your response should briefly explain whether the resulting IP will:

• Be exploited, commercialised, or applied within the UK
• Support UK‑based manufacturing, service delivery, or future R&D activity
• Be primarily used elsewhere (and if so, why)

Ownership and management of project IP remain the responsibility of the project participants, and the UK Space Agency does not seek any claim over IP generated through funded activity.

57. Spin‑Off Activities

Please use this section to outline any additional innovations, applications, or follow‑on opportunities that could emerge from your project beyond its primary objectives. Spin‑off developments might include new technologies, processes, services, or commercial opportunities that become viable as a result of the work you are undertaking.

58. Spin‑Off Activities (cont.)

Please use this section to outline any additional innovations, applications, or follow on opportunities that could emerge from your project beyond its primary objectives. Spin‑off developments might include new technologies, processes, services, or commercial opportunities that become viable as a result of the work you are undertaking.

You should briefly explain:

• What potential spin‑off developments you foresee, even if still at an early stage
• How they could be used or commercialised, and who might benefit
• Whether they could create wider impact for the UK space or telecoms sector, or other industries

Identifying credible spin‑offs helps demonstrate the broader value of your project and its potential to generate long‑term benefits for the UK.

Market Assessment

59. Target Markets

Provide a clear description of the specific market segments you plan to target with your product or technology. A “market segment” could refer to a defined customer group, application area, industry vertical or type of operator.

Explain the characteristics that make each segment relevant, such as user needs, procurement approaches, technology adoption levels, or commercial incentives.

If multiple segments apply, describe each one separately, outlining why they matter and how they differ from one another. Reviewers should be able to understand who you are targeting and why those customers represent a strong commercial opportunity.

60. Assumptions

Please use this section to describe how you expect your target market(s) to develop during the lifetime of the project.

Explain the assumptions you are making about factors such as:

• Commercial trends (e.g., demand growth, price pressures, new entrants)
• Technological advancements (e.g., adoption of LEO constellations, miniaturisation, automation)
• Supply chain or manufacturing changes
• Regulatory or policy shifts (e.g., licensing conditions, spectrum allocation, security requirements)
• Environmental or sustainability expectations

Your assumptions should be realistic and backed by evidence wherever possible. Articulate how these changes could create risks, opportunities, or dependencies for your planned commercial pathway.

61. Competitive Landscape

Provide a detailed analysis of the organisations and technologies you are competing with today, as well as those likely to emerge in the future. This should include:

• Direct competitors offering similar products or services
• Alternative approaches or solutions
• Adjacent technologies that may become competitive over time

Describe competitors’ strengths, weaknesses, maturity levels and unique selling points.

Clearly state how your solution differentiates itself and what sustainable competitive advantage you expect to have (e.g., cost, performance, manufacturability, supply chain resilience, scalability for high volume production, etc.).

The UK Space Agency should be confident that you understand your competitive environment and have a credible strategy to operate within it.

62. Constraints and Dependencies

Please use this section to highlight any external factors that may influence the success, timing or deployment of your proposed solution. Relevant considerations might include:

• Spectrum access or bandwidth licensing requirements
• Regulatory or legal constraints (e.g., export controls, telecoms standards, space licensing)
• Environmental or sustainability considerations
• Dependence on third‑party infrastructure or supply chain capacity
• Geopolitical or international trade considerations

Explain how these external factors could affect the project and what steps you will take to manage, mitigate, or plan for them. This helps the UK Space Agency understand how robust and realistic your commercial plans are.

63. Market Opportunities

What is the commercial opportunity associated with your target markets?
What barriers to market entry or adoption do you anticipate?

Summarise the commercial opportunity associated with your target markets and how your technology will progress from development to adoption.

Describe:

• The value proposition for prospective customers
• Expected revenue streams or business models
• Your anticipated route to market (e.g., direct sales, OEM integration, licensing, partnerships)
• Opportunities for scale‑up or alignment with high‑volume constellation production
• Customer procurement processes, adoption timelines, and any barriers to entry

You should present a credible, evidence‑based narrative showing that there is real commercial value and a practical pathway for your technology to reach the market.

Additional Information

64. Additional Information

This section is optional and should only be used where it adds value to your application. You may use it to provide brief additional context, clarifications or supporting information that does not fit naturally within the structured questions elsewhere in the form.

This could include explanations of unusual circumstances, assumptions that underpin your proposal, dependencies not captured in other sections or cross‑references to information provided elsewhere in the application. You should not use this section to introduce entirely new project elements or to repeat information already provided.

Declaration

65. Declaration

We, the UK Space Agency, will use your information [1] to assess your request for funding, [2] to support management of our role as National Delegate and [3] to manage any future investment in your proposal. We will share your information with other organisations as required, including releasing information on our website relating to any successful contract award with the European Space Agency (ESA).

The lawful basis for holding your information is in relation to our public task. We will hold the information for up to seven years. During this time, we will contact you for updates on the programme of work, including once the programme of work is complete. We will expect you to provide updates during the life of the programme and to engage with any reviews we undertake during, or after, the programme.

By submitting this form, you confirm that the information provided is, to the best of your knowledge, accurate, and you consent to the UK Space Agency using this information to assess your request for funding, support its role as National Delegate, and manage any future investment in your proposal. This may include sharing your information with other organisations and publishing details of any successful contract award with the European Space Agency.

This section sets out how the UK Space Agency will use the information you provide in your application. Your information will be used to assess your request for funding, support the UK Space Agency’s role as National Delegate, and manage any future investment related to your proposal.

We may share information with other organisations where required, including publishing details of any successful ESA contract award. Information will be held securely for up to seven years and may be used to request updates on your project during and after delivery.

By submitting this form, you confirm that the information provided is accurate to the best of your knowledge and that you agree to its use for these purposes.