Government Hands £13m to Boost Wi-Fi on UK Trains and Satellite Broadband

The UK Space Agency has this morning announced that they’ve spread £13m of public funding across 16 new projects under the ARTES (Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems) programme, which covers everything from deploying on-board Wi-Fi on remote Scottish railways to improving the availability of 5G and future 6G mobile networks – typically via satellite-based internet connectivity.

The space sector is said to be one of the UK’s “strongest drivers of growth and opportunity” – employing more than 55,000 people and bringing £18.6 billion into the economy every year (data from 2024). Suffice to say it’s little wonder that the government wants to continue fostering research and development in such a valuable industry.

The sixteen projects themselves represent quite a wide selection. For example, some £428,000 will go toward the Satellites for Digitalisation of Railways (SODOR) project, which aims to fit a ScotRail train on the West Highland Line with satellite kit to provide reliable broadband in one of the UK’s most remote rail corridors.

At the other end of the scale is Project Optimus, which will get £1.845m to build a high-speed laser communications system that can transmit data between satellites and the ground at speeds of over 100Gbps (Gigabits per second) — roughly ten times faster than its predecessor! But those are just a couple of examples from the full list, which we’ve pasted lower down.

Space Minister, Liz Lloyd MP, said:

“This investment shows how innovations in the UK’s satellite sector can improve lives, with better connectivity delivering internet access for more train journeys, and smarter farming.

By backing brilliant British companies, we are not only furthering our status as one of the world’s leading space powers, but creating high-quality jobs and new opportunities across the UK.”

A lot of the focus today is on projects that are designed to improve terrestrial connectivity via space-based solutions. But further projects will also improve the UK’s capabilities in deep space and lunar communications, supporting future missions which explore our universe.

List of Projects

➤ STARS, Exobotics Ltd, London – £2,100,000

Working with Archangel Lightworks and University of Nottingham, this project selected under the Connectivity in Low Earth Orbit Programme2 will develop and demonstrate a next-generation optical communications capability designed to provide ultra-fast, resilient and near real-time connectivity for satellite operators. The project will deliver the first satellites in a planned future data relay network, helping address growing demand for rapid transfer of mission-critical data.

➤ Theia – Software Defined Radio Generic Payload Processor, Airbus Defence and Space UK Ltd, Portsmouth – £1,500,000

This project is developing technology that allows to expand Airbus existing Hyperion Processor (Hyperion Evo) by offering the capability to tailor specific Processor functions to the mission needs as well as reprogramming and updating those functions while in orbit, rather than being locked into a fixed set of functions before and after launch. This makes Airbus On-board Processors and satellites more adaptable, helps operators get more out of them over time, and reduces costs.

➤ QUAKES: Quick Universal Array for Ka-band, E-band, and S-band Earth Stations, Orbital Astronautics Ltd, Goring–On-Thames – £1,710,000

QUAKES is building a compact, portable ground station that can connect to multiple satellites at once and handle everything from low-bandwidth sensor data to high-speed broadband. Because it can be quickly deployed with minimal infrastructure, it is well suited to both civilian and defence uses in challenging or remote environments.

➤ Hybrid Generative Broadcasting & Semantic SATCOM for Satellite Content Delivery in Space-Air-Ground Integrated Networks, AWTG Ltd, London – £684,000

This project is using artificial intelligence to make satellite broadcasting more efficient, reducing the amount of data and power needed to deliver high-quality video and media content. Rather than transmitting a full picture every time, the system intelligently reconstructs content at the receiving end, saving bandwidth across satellite, airborne and ground-based networks.

➤ Optimus, Archangel Lightworks Ltd, Oxford– £1,845,000

Project Optimus is building a high-speed laser communications system that can transmit data between satellites and the ground at speeds of over 100 gigabits per second — roughly ten times faster than its predecessor. Compact and quick to deploy, it could support everything from broadband internet and Earth observation to space-based data centres.

➤ NextGen Deep Space & Lunar Ground TT&C Processor (TTCP Lite), BAE Systems Applied Intelligence Limited, Chelmsford – £123,000

This project is exploring how ground station systems that are used to track and communicate with deep-space missions billions of km away can be modernised. It is an important step towards building a fully-digital ground infrastructure to support future space exploration.

➤ DTN Network Operations Centre, Aalyria Technologies (UK) Ltd, London – £750,000

Working with Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall, this project is developing networking technology that can maintain reliable communications even across the vast distances of deep space, where signals can take minutes or hours to travel. It will help lay the groundwork for future lunar missions and programmes such as ESA’s Moonlight initiative.

➤ NG-OGS Accelerator: Accelerating Next-Gen Optical and Quantum Ground Station Networks, Lumino Technologies Ltd, London – £1,140,000

This project is developing next generation optical ground stations – the facilities on the ground that use lasers to communicate with satellites – making these cheaper and easier to build and deploy at scale. NG-OGS Accelerator will help the UK keep pace with growing demand for high-speed, secure satellite communications as well as enable long-range quantum communications.

➤ Digital BUC / HPA, ETL Systems Limited, Hereford – £895,000

This project will modernise satellite ground infrastructure by replacing complex analogue uplink equipment with digital technology. This will enable more flexible, cloud-based satellite services and create infrastructure that is easier to upgrade, more adaptable and better suited to future satellite communications networks.

➤ “UPLINK-GEO” – Power Scaled Erbium-Doped Fibre Laser and Hollow-Core Fibre Beam Delivery to Enable Optical Ground Stations with Extended Range to GEO and Beyond, Woodrow Scientific Ltd, Southampton – £376,000

This project is developing more powerful laser technology to extend the range of optical ground stations, allowing them to communicate with satellites in higher orbits further from Earth. This is essential infrastructure for future high-capacity satellite networks that use light rather than radio waves to transmit data.

➤ Satellites for Digitalisation of Railways (SODOR) CCN 4 – West Highland Line Pilot, CGI IT UK Ltd, Leatherhead – £428,000

This project will fit a ScotRail train on the West Highland Line with satellite communications equipment to provide reliable broadband in one of the UK’s most remote rail corridors. It will demonstrate how satellite technology can fill connectivity gaps where mobile and broadband networks simply don’t reach.

➤ NOVACOM2: Propulsion Pressure Regulation Equipment for HET, Nammo UK, Aylesbury – £860,000

This project is developing and testing advanced components that control the propulsion systems used to manoeuvre electric satellites in orbit. More precise and reliable propulsion technology helps satellites operate more efficiently and extends their working lives, benefiting operators across the global space industry.

➤ Gardens, Allotments and Urban Farming Facilitator (GAUFF) Sensor – TN/NTN Optimisation, Farmer Charlie, London – £199,000

This project is creating low-cost, easy-to-use sensors that help farmers and growers monitor their crops, soil and local environment using a combination of satellite and mobile connectivity. The technology is designed to work in rural areas with poor or no internet coverage, helping to bring the benefits of precision agriculture to more people.

➤ “UPLINK-4.0” – UPLINK Amplifier Technology to Meet the Challenges of SDA OCT 4.0 Burst-Mode Operation, Woodrow Scientific Ltd, Southampton – £205,000

This project is developing laser amplifier technology that can deliver much higher bursts of power when needed, allowing ground stations to communicate more reliably with satellites in different orbits. It will help ensure the UK’s optical communications infrastructure is ready for the next generation of satellite constellations.

➤ Lacuna User Terminal Development, Lacuna Space Ltd, Harwell – £429,000

This project is developing and manufacturing a new generation of small, affordable devices that connect everyday objects and sensors to the internet via satellite — even in the most remote parts of the world. By building these devices in the UK, the project will also strengthen domestic manufacturing and supply chain capabilities.

➤ TS-SDN based SMO for 5G/6G NTNs, Aalyria Technologies (UK) Ltd, London, – £472,000

This project is developing the software interface that allows terrestrial networks and satellite systems to work together seamlessly, so that users can stay connected as they move between areas with mobile coverage and areas only served by satellite. It also uses AI to reduce interference between satellites, improving overall network performance for future 5G and 6G services.