Apply for funding: space-related R&D, innovation and education

Announcement of Opportunity: Call for the ESA Earth Observation programme, InCubed2

Funding type: Research, innovation, and development

Who Can Apply: UK industry (research institutions and academia with no commercial interest in the product can apply as part of an industrially led consortium)

Total Funding Amount: £1,400,000

Deadline: 12 pm on 31 May 2023

The UK Space Agency is inviting UK entities to submit proposals to develop innovative and commercially viable products and services that generate or exploit the value of Earth observation imagery and datasets.

Announcement of Opportunity: 2023 Call for Mars Exploration Science

Funding type: Research, innovation, and development

Who can apply: Academics working at UK Research Organisations

Total fund: £1,600,000 (indicative)

Deadline: 4 pm on Wednesday 14 June

The UK Space Agency is making funding available for science research that utilises data from current Mars exploration missions to enhance the UK’s capabilities and cross-disciplinary approach to planetary science.

Announcement of Opportunity: 2023 Call for Mars Exploration Science - Studentships

Funding type: Research, innovation, and development

Who can apply: Academics working at UK Research organisations

Total fund: £1,000,000 (indicative)

Award range: up to £100,000 over 48 months

Deadline: 4pm on Thursday 1 June 2023

The UK Space Agency is is offering PhD studentship funding to support the development of a new generation of Mars researchers within the UK academic community by providing funding for:

• PhD projects which utilise data from Mars exploration missions (including ESA’s Trace Gas Orbiter, NASA’s Insight lander, Perseverance, and other Mars exploration missions), or;
• PhD projects which underpin future Mars exploration missions. This can include supporting science operations of current rover missions.

Enabling Technologies Programme - Call Three

Funding type: Research, innovation and technology development

Who can apply: Organisations including academia, industry and (not for profit) government research institutes. Organisations must be registered in the UK.

Funding: Grant funding per project is expected to range from £100k to £250k per grant. There is not currently a fixed total amount for the call.

Deadline: 6 June 2023

The UK Space Agency invites proposals for the Enabling Technologies Programme (Technology for Sustainability in Space) Call Three for emerging and innovative technology research and development.

Proposals are sought for projects in areas including innovation; innovative technology proof of concept that could result in a significant technological step-change; new technology developments; establishing new academic/industrial research collaborations and feasibility studies targeting emerging disruptive technologies. This call is an open call with a special interest in technology which contributes to the sustainability of space.

International Bilateral Fund

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: UK organisations including academia, industry and (not for profit) government research institutes. We are particularly interested to receive bids involving the USA, Canada, Australia and Japan, but will consider opportunities from elsewhere in the world.

Funding: Phase 1: Concept Call (this competition): up to £75,000 for up to 4 months in duration. Phase 2: Implementation Call (by invitation only): if successful in Phase 1, you will be invited to submit a proposal in Phase 2 for up to £1.5 million for up to 12 months in duration.

Deadline: 9 June 2023

The UK Space Agency invites proposals for the International Bilateral Fund (IBF) to help strengthen the UK space sector’s partnerships with strategic and emerging space nations.

The objectives of the IBF are to:  

1. Build stronger relationships with priority countries and become a trusted space partner of choice
2. Increase UK space sector inward investment and exports
3. Develop UK capabilities in collaboration with our international partners.

This call will close at midday on 9 June 2023 at noon BST.2023.

UK Space Agency Climate Services Call Two: Call for Climate Service Development

Funding type: Research, innovation, and development

Who Can Apply: UK businesses or academia developing UK-based climate services

Total Funding Amount:

Deadline: 10am on 26 June 2023

The UK Space Agency is continuing to provide small grants to support the development of pre-commercial UK-based climate services using satellite Earth Observation data.

Space Clusters and Infrastructure Fund

Funding type: Research, innovation, and development

Who Can Apply: UK companies and institutions

Total Funding Amount: £50,000,000

Deadline: midday on 5 July 2023

The Space Clusters Infrastructure Fund (SCIF) will award more than £50 million in matched funding to companies and academic institutions, as part of a competition to increase the capability, capacity, and connectivity of the UK’s space R&D infrastructure.

ARTES ESA Workplan Activity: 6G Satellite Precursor Invitation To Tender (ARTES 5G/6G SPL 3E.011)

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: UK organisations and companies (UK Space Agency and ESA approval required)

Proposed ESA Budget: €8,000,000, with National Delegate support at up to 100% funding.

Deadline (UK Space Agency): 5pm on 26 June 2023

Deadline (ESA): midday on 14 July 2023

This is an ESA-initiated programme offering up to 100% funding. Find further information on this Invitation To Tender (ITT) on the ESA website.

As part of the application process, companies will need to apply to the UK Space Agency for approval before they submit their final application. This is a three-stage application process, in which:

• Applicants should register their interest via the online ‘UK Registration Form for the 6G Satellite Precursor (ARTES 5G/6G SPL 3E.011) ITT’
• Applicants will then be asked to submit their Full Proposal to the UK Space Agency for review
• Once the UK Authorisation of Funding letter has been received, applicants may then apply to ESA

The UK Space Agency reserves the right to apply additional requirements to any supported ITT. We will notify you once you have registered your interest, if applicable.

General Support Technology Programme (GSTP)

Funding type: Research, innovation, and development

Who Can Apply: UK organisations and companies (UK Space Agency and ESA approval required)

Deadline: By 5pm on 15 August 2023

The UK Space Agency is looking to provide support to companies and academic institutions across the UK in developing innovative technologies to grow UK capability. We are keen to engage with start-ups and SMEs (from both within and outside the space sector), as well as established companies and organisations. Collaborative proposals are also welcomed.

Exploration Science working group support

Funding type: Travel and time support for academics

Who can apply: Academics selected for groups and/or science teams, campaign science groups and other definition work relating to named UK Space Agency Exploration Science missions.

Award range: Up to £40,000

Closing date: Open until further notice.

ARTES: Advanced Technology

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: UK organisations and companies (UK Space Agency and ESA approval required)

Funding: Dependent on Advanced Technology project

Deadline: Open until further notice

This is an ESA-initiated programme offering up to 100% funding for developing early technologies and innovations. Invitations To Tender (ITT) are listed on the ESA website here.

As part of the application process, companies will need to apply to the UK Space Agency for approval before they submit their application. This is a three-stage application process, in which:

• applicants should complete an Expression of Interest form in the first instance
• successful applicants will be asked to complete the Advanced Technology application form
• successful applicants can apply to ESA

Navigation Innovation Support Programme (NavISP)

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: UK organisations working in positioning, navigation and timing undertaking technology research and development focused on commercial innovation.

Funding: Varies. 100% funding for developing early technologies and innovations; typically between €200,000 and €800,000 for space-enabled positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) technology solutions and innovations.

Deadline: Open until further notice

Since 2017, the UK has invested €50 million into NavISP to support the UK space PNT sector to innovate the next generation of space-enabled and space-supported navigation products, services and applications.

The UK investment in the programme is available to support UK organisations to undertake technology research and development focused on commercial innovation.

Student support: ESA microgravity programmes

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: UK-based teams successfully selected by ESA for certain student support programmes.

Funding: Up to £5,000

Deadline: Open until further notice

This announcement of opportunity offers up to £5,000 (if available) to support students participating in ESA microgravity programmes.

Responsive Mode Call - Exploration Community Development

Funding type: Development and promotion of UK space exploration community

Who can apply: UK individuals and organisations

Funding: Support will be granted to a maximum of £50,000.

Deadline: Open until further notice.

The UK Space Agency will, subject to budget being available in any given financial year, make available funds to support activities such as:

• community building activities

• establishing networking opportunities

• showcases and/or organisation attendance at appropriate conferences

Applicants should detail how the proposed activity benefits the UK space exploration community.

Closed Opportunities