2026 is going to be a particularly good year for the UK space industry. That’s the prediction of Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency. He was speaking on the day that the UK Space Minister Liz Lloyd visited Oxfordshire’s Harwell Campus to visit some of the companies at the forefront of space technology.
The Minister witnessed the start of environmental testing for Astroscale’s ELSA-M flight model at Harwell’s National Satellite Test Facility. Astroscale, a Japanese-listed company, uses its magnetic capture technology to capture redundant satellites. ELSA-M is the world's first end-of-life service for multiple satellite removals. The test marks the first step in qualifying the spacecraft, which is designed and built in the UK, for launch. The mission will demonstrate how satellites can be safely removed from orbit at the end of their lives, helping to reduce debris and supporting the long-term sustainability of space.
The visit to Harwell included Magdrive, a company that is developing disruptive metal ion thrusters to manoeuvre satellites in orbit, offering reliable propulsion solutions for critical space missions. Founded in 2019, Magdrive has backing from a range of investors including US VC firm Alumni Ventures and Texas-based Balerion Space Ventures.
In another major step forward for the UK space industry, Oxford Space Systems has announced the successful launch of its deployable Wrapped Rib Antenna, CarbSAR IOD. It was launched from a SpaceX Falcon 9 and is now beginning its in-orbit commissioning phase. CarbSAR IOD is an important step forward for UK-developed radar satellite technology, showcasing how compact, stowage-efficient antennas can enable high-performing, all-weather earth observation for future national security. Oxford Space Systems’ international investors include Foresight WAE Technology and US-based venture capital firm Space Capital.
Over at the new offices of Open Cosmos, which designs, builds, launches and operates advanced satellites, the company was monitoring the progress of two key platforms successfully launched last month: 6GStarLab, the first in-orbit telecommunications laboratory, and a new satellite of the Open Constellation. Open Cosmos, founded in 2015, partners with Innovate UK, ESA and the UK Space Agency. Its international backers have included A&G and Accenture Ventures and it has bases in Spain, Portugal and Greece. It also recently won a highly contested satellite spectrum licence by the Principality of Liechtenstein. The spectrum rights are an important geo-political asset for Europe. Space Minister Liz Lloyd, added her congratulations: ‘This project cements the UK's position at the forefront of the global space economy and has the potential to create hundreds of highly skilled manufacturing and engineering jobs at the Harwell facility.’
‘From the companies to the infrastructure, the space industry has very firm foundations in the UK and we are well-positioned to prepare for the space age that is truly taking off,’ Paul Bate concluded.
Image provided by Open Cosmos