UKSA Awards Grant Funding for Commercial Launch Range Control Services

SWINDON, UK (UKSA PR) — The UK Space Agency has confirmed that three organisations have been awarded over £350,000 [$457.5 million] in grant funding for the development of commercial range control services at multiple spaceport sites across the country.

The successful applicants Telespazio VEGA UK Ltd, Deimos Space UK Ltd and Heliaq UK Ltd will use the funding to develop a business plan and initial concept of operations to offer range services from the UK on a commercial basis.

The 2018 Space Industry Act enables companies to use cutting edge technology while also safeguarding public safety. Range control services are vital to this and include activities such as tracking rockets and spaceplanes in flight, as well as notifying users of airspace when launches are taking place.

Organisations submitted grant applications to undertake studies into range control services and the successful companies were awarded grants on their ability to meet robust selection criteria.

Claire Barcham, UK Space Agency’s Director of Commercial Space said:

Public safety is at the heart of our efforts to enable spaceflight from the UK, and range services are an essential part of this work.

The commercial provision of range services presents a new opportunity for businesses and, through the government’s modern Industrial Strategy, the UK Space Agency is advancing these exciting developments.

As part of its work to ensure the safety of spaceflight, the UK Space Agency today published a report from the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL),outlining a potential method of calculating risk in the area around the launch site and spaceflight path to ensure public safety. HSL provides health and safety expert advice to government and industry in the UK and internationally.