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July has been another busy month for the Space Wales team – and we hope you’ve all managed to stay cool! ☀️
From a fantastic week at Farnborough International Airshow to exciting funding opportunities and major announcements for the UK space sector, there’s plenty to catch up on this month.
As always, we hope you enjoy this month’s roundup of news, opportunities and upcoming events.
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Latest News / Y Newyddion Diweddaraf
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(Post by UKSA) In her Keynote speech in the Space Zone Theatre, Space Minister Baroness Lloyd announced £62 million in government funding to develop homegrown space technologies.
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A fantastic week at Farnborough Airshow, with lots of successes for Welsh organisations
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We were pleased to launch the UK-Germany Space Sector Comparative Study at Farnborough Airshow with a particular focus on Wales & Baden-Württemberg, funded by the Welsh Government Agile Cymru Programme
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(Post by ESA) The symbol of Europe’s next generation of Quantum Key Distribution:
The Saga Mission.
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(Post by Leshan Uggalla) A great delight and an honour to become an Ambassador for Techniquest, representing the University of South Wales, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) South Wales East Committee, and Space Wales.
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(Post by B2Space) The B2Space team recently conducted an important reconnaissance mission to thoroughly inspect our launch site ahead of future flight plans for the HALEOS (High Altitude Long-Endurance Earth Observation System) project.
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We’re incredibly proud of Cardiff
Rocket Labs for their second win at
the Race 2 Space rocket propulsion competition!
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As space becomes increasingly integrated into everyday economic activity, understanding the trends and developments across the sector provides valuable context for industry, investors and policymaker.
European Space Agency – ESA’s newly released 2026 Space Economy Report provides an overview of the latest developments shaping the space sector in Europe and worldwide.
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As the Farnborough International Airshow gets underway, John Whalley FRAeS, Director of Space Wales looks back at the UK Space Conference taking place 12 months ago with the then Mayor of Greater Manchester visiting the event and taking a keen interest in the Space sector.
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Opportunities / Cyfleoedd
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Inspire the Next Generation – Become a STEM Ambassador
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See-Science are currently looking for volunteers to register as STEM Ambassadors and help promote the rapidly growing space sector in Wales.
Registration is completely free, and STEM Ambassadors benefit from an enhanced DBS check, safeguarding training, and insurance cover provided by STEM Learning.
By sharing your knowledge, experiences, and skills, you’ll inspire students and demonstrate real-life applications of learning.
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The UK Space Agency is inviting Expressions of Interest for the next round of the Space Clusters Infrastructure Fund (SCIF) — a major investment programme designed to strengthen the UK’s space sector through research and development infrastructure.
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The Connectivity in Low Earth Orbit (C-LEO) Programme has launched its third funding round, with £42 million is available for UK businesses, universities and research organisations working on next-generation satellite communications technologies.
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National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP) Call 3 will support innovative space technologies through two funding streams:
Kick Starter: £150k – £1m (TRL 1 – 4), Focus: Innovation & Disruptive Technology
Major Projects: £150k – £2m (TRL 5 – 9), Focus: Commercialisation & Growth.
Although the majority of NSIP Call 3 budget is open to any technology, application or service, UKSA will target up to 40% of its budget on 2 priority capability areas: Space Domain Awareness and In Orbit Manufacturing (~20% each).
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The UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) team has launched the Space to Innovate – Delta Drop competition in collaboration with the UK Space Agency, which is seeking innovative technologies that can help address future defence and security challenges in the space domain.
The competition is looking for solutions that enhance the UK’s space capabilities, resilience, and operational effectiveness across a range of challenge areas.
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European Space Agency (ESA)
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ESA Proposal Advisory Service
Although the pilot Proposal Advisory Service has now closed, the UK Space Agency is reviewing feedback and encourages organisations to continue contacting the team for ESA bidding guidance where needed.
Access below the “Bidding for ESA Contracts – The Essential Guide” written by Kelly Instrell from KI Bid Consulting.
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ESA InCubed Earth Observation Call
Funding: €300k – €4m
Project duration: Up to 18 months
Open: 16th June – 21st August 2026
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If you are considering applying for any of these opportunities and would like support or to discuss collaboration opportunities, please get in touch!
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Upcoming Events / Digwyddiadau i Ddod
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Earth Observation Data Knowledge Exchange 2026. Cardiff University,
27th August
The event programme will include:
Connecting Wales Through Earth Observation and Space Innovation
(presentation by Rosie Cane)
Multitemporal Random Forest Classification of Forest Tree Species Using PlanetScope Imagery
(presentation by Juan Suarez)
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UK Space Power Conference. IET London, 23rd – 24th September 2026
Virtual access available
Be at the heart of the UK’s space future – exclusively with UK Space Command.
Join senior decision-makers, military leaders, and industry innovators at the inaugural UK Space Power Conference 2026 – the only conference owned and delivered by UK Space Command, giving you unrivalled access to the people shaping Britain’s space ambitions.
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Space Tech Expo Europe 2026. Bremen, 17th – 19th November 2026
From launch services, satellite operations, communications and ground systems, to materials suppliers, subsystems, engineering services, components, software suppliers and more, this is where the European space community converges to source solutions, build partnerships, and drive progress.
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EOIs are now open to exhibit with Welsh Government at Space Tech Expo.
Deadline for applications is 11th September.
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SpaceCom / Space Congress. Orlando, USA, 12th – 14th January 2027
SpaceCom | Space Congress is the business and partnership engine of Commercial Space Week, focused on commercialisation, procurement, investment, partnerships, and business growth across the space economy.
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Space-Comm Expo Europe. Excel London, 24th – 25th February 2027
Space-Comm Expo Europe 2027 is the European Space event where commercial space companies gain direct access to the international governments, defence programmes, and investors defining the next decade of the industry.
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Based at Aberystwyth University, ANTUR is a unique outdoor robotics testing facility in West Wales.
Spanning over 500 hectares with more than 10 km of test tracks, ANTUR provides a real-world environment for developing, testing and validating robotic and autonomous technologies.
Around 85% of the UK’s land types can be accessed within a 15-mile radius, including coastlines, mountains, peatlands and marshland, offering exceptional environmental diversity for field trials.
Combined with Aberystwyth University’s expertise in robotics, AI, sensing, drones, environmental monitoring and communications technologies, ANTUR offers an ideal platform for innovation, research collaboration and technology demonstration.
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To stay connected with Space Wales and hear about upcoming exciting opportunities, simply let us know (enquiries@spacewales.co.uk) and we’ll add you to our mailing list.
For more updates, make sure to follow us on LinkedIn @SpaceWales!
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