Government backs space manufacturing technologies with £19m package
The UK Government has announced more than £19m of funding to support next-generation space technologies, including a £10m award to Cardiff-based Space Forge to advance a reusable spacecraft heat shield designed for in-space manufacturing missions.
Announced at London Tech Week by space minister Liz Lloyd, the funding package aims to support technologies that could transform manufacturing in orbit, improve satellite tracking and strengthen the long-term sustainability of the space environment.
Space Forge will receive £10m through the UK Space Agency's investment in the European Space Agency's General Support Technology Programme (GSTP). The funding will support development of Pridwen, a deployable heat shield designed to protect spacecraft returning materials manufactured in space back to Earth.
The company is developing manufacturing processes for semiconductor materials in microgravity, where conditions can produce materials with fewer defects and greater uniformity than those manufactured on Earth.
According to Space Forge, Pridwen is intended to overcome some of the limitations of conventional heat shields by deploying during re-entry to create a larger protective surface while remaining lighter and potentially reusable.
The mission is intended to bring the technology to commercial readiness and support the future growth of in-space manufacturing.
Space minister Liz Lloyd said: “Space Forge is developing technology that could revolutionise in-space manufacturing.”
Joshua Western, chief executive and co-founder of Space Forge, added: “This proprietary technology is key to enabling the safe return of our materials to Earth, which in turn unlocks the future of in-space manufacturing.”
Alongside the Space Forge award, the Government announced a further £9.25m investment into the Space Portfolio of the UK Innovation and Science Seed Fund (UKI2S), bringing the total value of the programme to £22m.
The additional funding will support early-stage UK space companies developing technologies in areas including navigation, satellite monitoring and orbital debris tracking.
Among the companies supported are Silicon Microgravity, which develops precision sensors for navigation and aerospace applications, Optera, which produces space-tracking sensors, and Spaceflux, whose systems monitor satellites and debris in orbit.
The Government said the investments are intended to help attract additional private capital while supporting growth in the UK's expanding space technology sector.
Pic: ForgeStar-1 Pridwen deployed and Heat Shield descent (Space Forge)
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