UK backs £19 million push for space manufacturing and orbital technologies

More than £19 million in UK government funding has been announced to accelerate the development of advanced space technologies, including in-orbit manufacturing systems, reusable re-entry hardware and satellite tracking capabilities aimed at strengthening the UK’s position in the global space economy.

Announced at London Tech Week, the package includes a £10 million award for Cardiff-based Space Forge to advance its Pridwen reusable heat shield. The system is designed to enable the safe return of materials manufactured in space, supporting the emerging field of microgravity-based semiconductor production. Reduced defects in crystal growth under microgravity conditions could improve performance in high-value applications including telecommunications, computing, defence and clean energy technologies.

Joshua Western, CEO and co-founder of Space Forge, said the funding would be key to advancing the technology towards commercial use:

“We’re thrilled to be awarded the GSTP funding to help bring Pridwen to commercial readiness. 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.”

A further £9.25 million will be distributed to early-stage UK space companies through the UK Innovation and Science Seed Fund, supporting technologies focused on navigation, orbital infrastructure and space situational awareness. The aim is to help companies scale more quickly while attracting additional private investment into the sector.

Space Minister Liz Lloyd said the investment underlines the UK’s commitment to maintaining leadership in the sector:

“Today’s government-funded investment in Space Forge shows our commitment to keeping Britain at the forefront of the fast-growing space sector. Space Forge is developing technology that could revolutionise in-space manufacturing.”

Among the projects supported, Silicon Microgravity is developing high-precision sensors for navigation and aerospace applications, Optera is building systems for tracking objects in orbit, and Spaceflux is working on technologies to monitor satellites and debris in increasingly congested orbital environments.

Together, the investments are intended to strengthen the UK’s capability in advanced space engineering, improve orbital safety, and support the commercialisation of technologies underpinning future space-based manufacturing and data-driven infrastructure.

More information online