Space Wales, the trade association for the Space Sector in Wales, has announced a funding call for Welsh space businesses. Together with the Welsh Government, the association has secured funding from the UK Space Agency amounting to £247,000. This dedicated funding is providedthrough the Devolved Administrations Programme, specifically to help deliver on the ambitions outlined in Wales: A Sustainable Space Nation – Wales’ space strategy published in 2022.
The government set out an ambition in the National Space Strategy to build one of the most innovative and attractive space economies in the world, which includes building a whole-UK space ecosystem that is connected by world-class space clusters. The UK Government’s Industrial Strategy and Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan highlighted space as one of the frontier sectors and set the ambition to become a leading industrialised European exporter by 2030.
The funding round, which comes ahead of World Space Week, starting on 4th October, will enable Wales to further the development of the space sector and move closer to its goal of being a sustainable space nation. It enables a broad range of space-related organisations across Wales to deliver targeted, high-impact projects. Funding is divided into two strands to support a diverse ecosystem of applicants — from early-stage innovators to established cluster partners.
Antonia Yendell, Head of Space Ecosystem Development at UKSA, commented:“Wales is home to a dynamic and fast-growing space sector, and we’re proud to support its continued development through this targeted funding call. By working in partnership with Space Wales and the Welsh Government, we are supporting innovative projects that align with Wales’ space strategy. By helping to unlock new opportunities for businesses, researchers and communities in Wales, we are driving local growth, and this reflects our commitment to building a truly national space ecosystem, one that draws on the strengths of every part of the UK.”
The Welsh space sector has been growing rapidly over recent years, driven largely by a vibrant community of SMEs and startups developing innovative space solutions. Statistics from the UK Space Agency estimate that the Welsh space sector contributes £345 million annually to the economy and sustains over 1,700 jobs across more than 105 organisations. The space ecosystem in Wales includes an environment suited for spaceplane operations, advanced optical tracking and telemetry, as well as 7100 sqkm of segregated airspace with no ceiling.
Dr Rosie Cane, Cluster Development Manager, Space Wales, added: “We’re excited to work with the UK Space Agency, Welsh Government and the Space Wales Community to deliver innovative projects that support Wales’ ambition of becoming a sustainable space nation. It’s been a fantastic year for the Welsh space sector, with milestones including Space Forge launching the first Welsh-built satellite into orbit, B2Space launching STRATOLASER, a breakthrough project aiming to revolutionise active debris removal, and the opening of world-class facilities at Snowdonia Space Centre, and we’re looking forward to what comes next.”
