Excelerate Technology has announced it is the prime contractor in a UK technology consortium that was awarded £6 million in funding from the UK Space Agency this week.
The funding is part of the Space Agency’s Connectivity in Low-Earth Orbit (C-LEO) programme that aims to position the UK at the forefront of the burgeoning satellite mega-constellation market.
The consortium has been tasked with developing a multi-orbit, multi-beam satellite antenna that will allow users to choose from a wide range of operators in different satellite orbits depending on where they are geographically located at that point in time. This should give users seamless, high-speed connectivity in even the most remote locations.
The small and flexible Mobility and Autonomy Market User Terminal (MAMUT) will allow users to choose the operator and orbit via an app, reducing costs and enhancing global configurability.
Excelerate Technology, an emergency services connectivity specialist and systems integrator, will lead the consortium on the three-year programme to bring MAMUT to market-readiness stage.
Other contributors include space technology experts Satellite and Space Consulting, research institution Heriot Watt University, antenna designer Satraka and hardware and software specialists Jet Connectivity.
Bethan Evans, chief operating officer, Excelerate, said, “This is perhaps the most exciting time ever to be involved in the global space sector, which is experiencing a period of rapid change and growth with significant new mega-constellations and thousands of new satellites being deployed in the coming years.
“This £6 million UK Space Agency funding now enables us to focus on developing a fantastic new product that will help keep the UK at the forefront of the space connectivity industry while helping connect communities in the most hard-to-reach areas of the UK and beyond.”
One of the first sectors to benefit from this new technology could be the emergency services sector, where ubiquitous connectivity for ambulance, police and fire and rescue organisations can have significant impacts on patient health, public safety and national resilience.