The UK Space Agency and Innovate UK have allocated £2 million to support development of new technologies in spacecraft propulsion systems for future space missions.

Spacecraft propulsion systems play a key role in acquiring initial orbit position and maintaining spacecraft pointing, and safely disposing of the satellite at mission end.

The agencies are inviting proposals from universities and companies that are engaged in developing spacecraft propulsion systems for large and medium-sized satellite platforms, as well as small and nano-satellites.

Part of the ‘space foundations’ activity, the programme focuses on the development of innovative propulsion technology for de-orbiting or orbit-raising, green propellants / clean-space technologies, and advanced manufacturing techniques. The scope of the programme also includes manoeuvring for debris removal, increased mission capability and new satellite applications.

The projects are estimated to cost around £250,000 to £500,000, and will take around six months to complete. Innovate UK believes innovation in propulsion could save tens of millions of pounds in launch costs.

A briefing event for potential applicants was conducted at the Satellite Applications Catapult in Harwell on 21 January and another event for the small and nano-satellite community was held in Glasgow on 29 January.

Innovate UK is also offering £1 million to prospective businesses to conduct feasibility studies into new receiver technologies that could be used on the Galileo global navigation satellite system.

The European Space Agency and the European Commission have spent over £50 million so far on the Galileo programme, which is expected to begin full operations by 2020.