{"id":35950,"date":"2023-09-12T15:30:42","date_gmt":"2023-09-12T14:30:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=35950"},"modified":"2023-09-12T15:51:34","modified_gmt":"2023-09-12T14:51:34","slug":"accelerating-innovation-in-space-technology-for-better-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/accelerating-innovation-in-space-technology-for-better-world\/35950\/","title":{"rendered":"Accelerating innovation in space technology for a better world"},"content":{"rendered":"
From satellites to propulsion systems, space technologies are vital to the everyday functioning of modern society. As societal and economic problems, such as climate change and the energy crisis prevail, continuous innovation in space technology is essential to address and offer solutions to such major issues.<\/p>\n
In the UK, the UK Space Agency has shown a solid commitment to supporting innovative space technology projects, both nationally and across the globe, with the launch of its National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP) in 2020. The programme ran two funding opportunities for project teams to advance their innovative products, services, and technologies that have applications in the space sector.<\/p>\n
As part of the NSIP, the UK Space Agency also launched the Enabling Technologies Programme<\/a> (ETP), which is a national funding programme providing opportunities to the UK space industry for emerging research in space technology across the UK. The ETP is open to UK industry, academia, and other research organisations to build UK capability by supporting the space industry. The programme has released a series of different funding calls aimed at targeting different issues.<\/p>\n Most recently, the Agency announced a funding injection of \u00a32.1m to boost innovation in space technologies in areas such as solar power and new propulsion systems.<\/p>\n Editor Georgie Purcell spoke to Craig Brown, Director of Investment at the UK Space Agency, to learn more about the ETP and the importance of innovation in space technology.<\/p>\n Innovation in space technology is fundamental to everything that we do, and accelerating innovation in space technology across the globe is central to almost all programmes across the UK Space Agency. Every space programme and project that we are involved in has innovation at its core.<\/p>\n Innovation is important for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is about progressing our understanding and knowledge of the Universe, and enhancing the way in which we use space assets and space data to deliver new types of services to improve our understanding of the world. If we are to improve our knowledge of our planet and Universe, we must continue to evolve and improve what we are doing.<\/p>\n Secondly, and importantly for me as the Director of Investment, is the economic benefit. We are in a global race to deliver commercial applications in the space domain and, to ensure that the UK stays at the forefront of the global space economy, we must continue to push innovation in space technology to deliver new commercial services. If we stand still, we will quickly lose that race because everybody else is running.<\/p>\n Our Enabling Technologies programme is a \u00a315m programme in total, and the \u00a32.1m that was announced in June is the first phase of that. The programme is really interesting because it focuses on the very early stages of development.<\/p>\n We themed the recent call around a couple of important areas, including solar technologies and propulsion systems. The plan with the ETP is to change the theme with each call, so as to tackle different areas each time. Those themes are focused on areas that are indicated to enable large economic opportunities in the future. This programme ensures that we have the right space technology in place to address those issues in five to ten years\u2019 time.<\/p>\n We also have many other programmes that aren\u2019t themed or are themed in broader ways. For example, we have a telecommunications programme and a navigation programme, where companies are free to submit their ideas along those broader themes. Again, these programmes are developed with long-term economic benefits in mind, to ensure that the UK industry is well positioned to deliver against some of those big markets.<\/p>\n The scale and scope of the programme is really broad and is designed to tackle multiple key technologies to address different challenges across space.<\/p>\nWhy is innovation in space technology such an important part of the UK space programme?<\/h3>\n
The UK Space Agency has recently announced funding to boost UK-based space technologies as part of its Enabling Technologies Programme. Why is this needed and what is it hoped that it will achieve?<\/h3>\n
Can you elaborate on the different areas of space technology that the ETP is targeted at?<\/h3>\n