Universities receive £4.8m to help space sector flourish

A group of universities has received £4.8m in government funding to offer space companies special access to facilities and academic expertise.

The Universities of Leicester, Southampton, Surrey, Edinburgh and the Open University – together known as the Space Research and Innovation Network for Technology (Sprint) – will use the grant to engage with small and medium-sized businesses to improve research and innovation in the space industry.

“Our growing space sector depends on the success of technology and expertise that comes from the world-class research carried out in the UK,” said the UK Space Agency chief executive Dr Graham Turnock.

“The Sprint programme has our full support – it will help smaller businesses tap into the world-class knowledge of some of the UK’s leading universities, giving them a real boost and creating new jobs.”

The £4.8m fund is part of a £67m Research England investment in new collaborative projects between universities and other organisations.

“In the Industrial Strategy, the government asked us to improve our ability to turn exciting ideas into commercial products and services,” said Research England executive chairman David Sweeney. “Universities have stepped forward in these projects to show that they can do world-class commercialisation, alongside world-class science.”