Unlocking Space for Government programme
Published 3 September 2025
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/unlocking-space-for-government/unlocking-space-for-government-programme
The initiative has two coordinated workstreams:
USG: Civil Workstream
Supports the adoption of space-enabled technologies to improve public service delivery in areas such as healthcare, transport infrastructure, and environmental protection.
USG: Defence Workstream
Delivers a set of interventions to support organisations working across civil and defence space, fostering the development of capabilities that employ space for national security, and strengthening collaboration across the space, defence and government ecosystems.
Unlocking Space for Government is a key delivery mechanism for commitments in the National Space Strategy, the Defence Space Strategy and the Space Industrial Plan – helping unlock the full value of the UK space sector for both public benefit and strategic advantage.
1. Unlocking Space for Government (USG) – Civil Workstream Overview
1.1 What is Unlocking Space for Government?
The Unlocking Space for Government (USG) is a UK Space Agency initiative focused on enabling public sector organisations to adopt satellite-enabled technologies, including Earth Observation (EO), Satellite Communications (SatCom), Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) and space derived technologies, to improve the delivery, efficiency, and resilience of public services.
It forms part of the broader Unlocking Space programme and delivers on the ambitions of the National Space Strategy and the Space Industrial Plan to increase space uptake across public services and position government as a strategic user of space.
1.2 Why it matters
Space-based technologies can enhance decision-making, reduce costs, and enable more proactive and responsive services. But uptake across the UK public sector remains limited, often due to:
- low awareness of the capabilities and availability of satellite solutions
- fragmented or complex procurement routes
- skills gaps and technical integration challenges
- unclear pathways for space companies to engage with government buyers
Unlocking Space for Government addresses these barriers by identifying high-value use cases, supporting pilots and adoption, and strengthening commercial pathways between the UK space sector and public service users.
1.3 What does the Civil Workstream deliver?
The Civil Workstream supports public sector innovation and delivery through three core strands, set out below.
Sector-Led Pilots and Adoption Support
Unlocking Space for Government works with government departments, agencies, local authorities and devolved administrations to co-design and deliver space-enabled use cases in areas where public benefit is greatest.
Priority focus areas include:
Healthcare
The initiative is collaborating with NHS Trusts and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to explore how satellite connectivity and data can support more efficient and resilient healthcare delivery. This includes tracking hospital equipment, staff and patients to reduce delays and improve coordination, supporting remote monitoring of patients with chronic conditions via connected wearables, and deploying satellite broadband to enable virtual consultations in areas with limited connectivity. These opportunities are being progressed with partners across the NHS and public health organisations.
Transport infrastructure
Through partnerships with national and local transport bodies, Unlocking Space for Government is helping to trial and scale the use of Earth Observation data – particularly Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) – for infrastructure monitoring and resilience planning. These trials aim to detect ground movement and asset degradation, reduce maintenance costs, and improve safety.
Environmental monitoring
Unlocking Space for Government is supporting the use of remote sensing to tackle environmental risks and build resilience. A flagship example is the Lough Neagh harmful algal bloom monitoring project, delivered through a Contract for Innovation initiative in partnership with Northern Ireland’s Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the NI Space Office. This challenge is testing satellite-enabled solutions to predict and monitor algal blooms, helping policymakers respond to serious water quality and public health risks. The outcomes will inform broader environmental monitoring approaches across the UK.
These interventions are designed to demonstrate impact, build evidence, and prepare solutions for wider adoption.
Space-Enabled Regions
To move beyond isolated pilots, the initiative is developing regional demonstrators where multiple space applications can be deployed across a defined geography or public sector system.
A “Space-Enabled Region” approach allows:
- integrated testing of multiple space-enabled services across complex environments
- real-world measurement of cross-sector benefits and requirements
- structured collaboration between public bodies, suppliers, and innovation partners
- a compelling business case for permanent adoption at scale
Pilot regions may include metro mayors, devolved governments, or NHS trust regions.
Public Sector Readiness and Industry Engagement
Unlocking Space for Government also supports the space sector to better engage with public sector customers through:
- technical support and networking for procurement decision-makers, policymakers, companies and innovators
- development of procurement guidance, playbooks and training to help government buyers understand how and when to use satellite-enabled services
- facilitating cross-government coordination and targeted action groups to define adoption pathways and support the implementation of sustainable, long-term solutions
1.4 Who is this for?
The Unlocking Space for Government Civil Workstream supports:
- central and local government departments seeking innovative solutions to operational challenges
- frontline public sector organisations such as NHS bodies, transport agencies and emergency services exploring how satellite data can improve services
- space companies aiming to understand public sector needs and route-to-market
- policymakers looking to embed space in wider government strategies such as resilience, net zero, or digital transformation
1.5 How to engage
Unlocking Space for Government is actively seeking partners for pilot projects, regional demonstrators and knowledge exchange. If you’re a government body or space company interested in getting involved, contact us at: unlockingspace@ukspaceagency.gov.uk
For updates and funding opportunities, visit the UK Space Agency apply for funding page.
2. Unlocking Space for Government (USG) – Defence Workstream Overview
2.1 What is Unlocking Space for Government - Defence?
The government has committed in the National Space Strategy in Action, Defence Space Strategy, and the Space Industrial Plan to a cross-departmental approach on space for national security and dual use technology. It has also committed to identifying new opportunities for defence space and to embed the concept within defence capability management.
To meet these commitments, the UK Space Agency developed an initiative that supports this priority, and the Unlocking Space for Government - Defence workstream is delivering a set of interventions to support these objectives.
The programme aims to:
- raise awareness and provide information to help UK organisations working across civil and defence space navigate the complexities of both sectors
- enhance public services and provide clearer demand signals for industry by enhancing strategic alignment between civilian and defence space
- support the growth of UK space companies through funding and investment opportunities
- improve civil and defence funding collaboration and strategic coordination to support space for national security
2.2 Request For Information (RFI)
The Unlocking Space for Government - Defence initiative conducted an external scoping exercise to gain a better understanding of the barriers faced by organisations working across civil and defence space, and the report was shared with the defence community. This included an internal assessment to identify common capability needs, aiming to provide a joint demand signal to the space sector.
The ‘Unlocking Space for Dual Use RFI’ mapped out the barriers experienced by the space sector organisations aiming and/or already working across civil and defence space. The full list of 22 barriers (and 22 external barriers) includes:
- Unclear end-customer needs
- Complicated procurement processes
- Restrictive procurement conditions
- Limited funding for early-stage tech
- Lack of routes to market
- Lack of clear funding routes for dual use organisations
- Divergent requirements between civil and defence space
- Complex Dual Use landscape
- Clearance and classification guidance and awareness
- Sector engagement and collaboration with defence departments
- Lack of communication across HMG
- Lack of interest from academia and start-ups
- Limited guidance on Export Controls & Regulations
- Lack of access for SMEs
- Funding and Investment availability
- Limited access to facilities and infrastructure
- Intellectual Property (IP) management
- Technology adoption and adaptation
- Perception of the Defence sector
- Information access, awareness, and availability
- Skills availability across sectors
- Collaboration across the space sector (outside government)
2.3 Capabilities Mapping
The Unlocking Space for Government - Defence workstream also conducted an exercise to identify UK Space Agency funded projects relevant for both civil and defence space against the Space Industrial Plan capability areas and the Defence Highly Assured Technical areas. This supported an improved understanding of the maturity of dual use capabilities in UK space sector, the key gaps, and overlaps to identify potential areas for collaboration.
2.4 What does the Defence Workstream deliver?
Based on the evidence gathered, the Unlocking Space for Government - Defence initiative has developed a list of interventions to address the identified barriers:
2.5 One Stop Shop for Information
The One Stop Shop for Information webpage[1] collates information from the UK Space Agency and OGDs on key topics flagged by the space sector as information gaps through the ‘Unlocking Space for Dual Use RFI’. The webpage addresses these gaps by raising awareness of existing support and by providing new information. The webpage is updated regularly with new information and suggestions for additional resources are welcomed.
2.6 Clearance and Classification support
The Unlocking Space for Government - Defence initiative is working to understand and address clearance and classification training needs for the space sector. Training is being developed to provide clarity and awareness on the purpose of clearance and classification, as well as the guidelines and processes to be followed. These sessions will include the following topics: Security Clearances, Information Classification, and Secure by Design. In addition, workshops will be developed on the NIST 800-30 Risk Assessment process and Secure by Design activities, providing context to both with examples relevant to the space industry and SMEs. Th training will be available and best accessed on the One Stop Shop for Information webpage.
2.7 Civil - Defence strategic coordination & funding collaboration
The intervention aims to support the growth of the space sector by aligning funding across civil and defence space, and set up a pilot funding round to provide lessons learned on how to improve civil and defence collaboration. Any funding opportunities or developments will be included on the One Stop Shop for Information webpage .
2.8 Export Controls and Regulations support
The Unlocking Space for Government - Defence team is working closely with the Department for Business and Trade to provide training and information on Export Controls and Regulations. The intervention will support the growth of the space sector by offering support in navigating export controls and regulations.
2.9 How to engage
The Unlocking Space for Government - Defence Workstream supports:
- organisations already operating or aiming to operate in both the defence and the civilian areas of the space sector
- organisations developing dual use capabilities and technology
- central government departments seeking innovative solutions to operational challenges
- policymakers looking to align civil and defence space priorities and opportunities across wider government
To contact the UK Space Agency Unlocking Space Programme, please use the email address unlockingspace@ukspaceagency.gov.uk.