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Five pioneering projects across the UK will harness satellite data to enhance public service delivery, following a £2.5 million funding announcement by the UK Space Agency.
The investment, unveiled today at the European Space Agency’s Living Planet Symposium 2025 in Vienna, will connect space companies with local councils and government agencies to tackle challenges from infrastructure safety to biodiversity monitoring and methane emissions.
Transforming Public Services through Satellite Innovation
The new funding follows a joint call for proposals between the UK Space Agency and ESA’s InCubed2 programme, first launched in July 2024.
Harshbir Sangha, Director of Missions and Capabilities at the UK Space Agency, said:
“By bringing together innovative space companies with public sector partners, we’re demonstrating that space technology delivers practical benefits here on Earth… This investment reflects our commitment to establishing the UK as a global leader in space-enabled public services.”
Funded Projects Across the UK
The five funded initiatives include:
- Geospatial Ventures (Nottingham) – Developing a radar- and AI-powered system to detect early signs of stress in buildings, bridges and infrastructure.
- AAC Clyde Space (Glasgow) – Using satellite imaging to help farmers track biodiversity on their land and access schemes like the Sustainable Farming Incentive.
- GHGSat UK (London) – Creating a methane-focused analytics platform using satellites that trace industrial greenhouse gas emissions to support net-zero targets.
- Earth-i (Guildford) – Delivering satellite-based environmental insights directly to the Rural Payments Agency to enhance land use monitoring and subsidy management.
- HR Wallingford (Oxfordshire) – Partnering with Water Resources South East to use Earth Observation data for tracking biodiversity over time and supporting nature protection obligations.
Colin Baldwin, Executive Director of UKspace, welcomed the announcement:
“This investment is very welcome… we are encouraged to see the Government recognising the opportunity. Several UKspace member companies are benefiting from this programme.”
Climate Data and the TRUTHS Mission
At the same event, the TRUTHS satellite mission advanced with a ceremonial contract signing, awarding Telespazio UK the responsibility of building the mission’s ground segment. TRUTHS (Traceable Radiometry Underpinning Terrestrial and Helio Studies) is a UK-led Earth climate monitoring initiative in partnership with ESA.
Telespazio UK will develop the systems needed to collect, process, and distribute TRUTHS data worldwide, providing vital support to climate scientists and decision-makers.
New £300k Climate Grant Scheme Announced
The UK Space Agency also announced an upcoming climate funding call offering up to £300,000 in total for small Earth Observation innovation projects. Individual grants between £40,000 and £80,000 will support early-stage services addressing climate change, nature protection, and planetary resilience.
The funding boost aligns with the UK Government’s new Industrial Strategy, launched earlier this week, which identifies space as a frontier industry essential to economic growth and national security.
