UK space agency funds water and life science projects

£6.5m awarded to 23 international projects, including satellite-based water monitoring and space-based drug development, as UKSA expands partnerships beyond Europe

INTERNATIONAL projects in water quality monitoring and life sciences research were among the proposals to secure grants from the UK Space Agency (UKSA) in the government body’s latest round of funding.

In the second round of the UKSA’s International Bilateral Fund, £6.5m (US$8.7m) was awarded to 23 projects running until the end of March 2026 – £1m more than originally allocated, due to high demand.

One of the largest individual grants was awarded to a UK- and Australia-based group developing a satellite system to monitor water quality. Led by Airbus-owned UK satellite builder Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL), the £479,000 grant will help the group develop an Australian satellite to provide detailed biochemical water analysis. The satellite will use Australian space agency CSIRO’s imaging technology.

The organisations involved, which include UK-based Earth observation companies Pixalytics and Assimila, the University of Stirling, UK government-owned research institute RAL Space and management consultancy Deloitte, say the project will complement the European Space Agency’s existing NAIAD mission which uses an SSTL satellite to monitor water quality in lakes, rivers, estuaries and coasts.

SSTL says the funding will allow them to create a “dual-satellite” system that will enhance the frequency and precision of water monitoring in both countries. Clive Oates, the regional head of SSTL in Australia, said the project “exemplifies how international collaboration can address shared global challenges, fostering innovation and economic growth”.

Grants were also awarded to several life sciences projects, including £366,000 for a proposal led by UK-based Frontier Space Technologies to design a cargo handling system for next-generation space-based R&D. Alongside Germany-based The Exploration Company and an unnamed US-based pharmaceutical company, the project aims to enhance drug development.