The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and Defence and Security Accelerator, two government initiatives set up to support the Ministry of Defence, have announced the six innovators that will share £1.6m in funding to develop technologies for the space domain.

The funding was achieved as a result of Space to Innovate Campaign – Charlie Drop which invited innovators to submit their innovative technologies and solutions to help overcome challenge areas.

The first of which involved novel ways to achieve fine resolution connection for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

Challenge two focused on technologies and techniques to alert, protect and defend satellites.

And the third challenge revolved around satellite and ground segment technologies for future defence and security operations.

“As space becomes increasingly contested and congested, the ability to harness novel technologies to ensure freedom of action is essential,” major general Paul Tedman, commander of UK Space Command, said.

“We will continue to work with our partners in industry, DASA, Dstl to seize and maintain the competitive edge in space.

Athos Ritsperis, Dstl Space Systems programme manager, added: “Accelerating the development of these technologies could contribute to the development of future operational concepts in support of the Defence Space Strategy. We look forward to working with all the contracted suppliers.”

The Space to Innovate Campaign was set up to encourage the development of space technologies that can maintain the UK’s freedom of action in the space domain by enhancing its space military and civil potential.

The Winning Projects 

Nottingham Scientific Ltd – GMV NSL Limited
This project aims to develop an automated system for the identification of unattributed radio transmission and for the prediction of the orbit of their source.

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Surrey Satellite Technology Limited
This project aims to develop a fully deployable telescope for high resolution Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) from Medium Earth Orbit (MEO).

Spectra Defence Limited
This project focuses on developing an innovation that allows for high resolution remote imaging and characterisation of unknown objects approaching high value satellites in Geostationary orbits.

Super-Sharp Space Systems Ltd
This project’s goal is to develop a control system to enable the self-alignment of large space telescopes.

University of Liverpool
This project sets out to develop large area antenna systems that can be stowed via origami folding and a novel deployment mechanism for utilisation in low-Earth orbit (LEO).

QinetiQ Ltd Farnborough
This project aims to dramatically improve the ability to sense small objects that are largely invisible to our current sensing capability and yet pose a significant threat to the operation of space assets.