--- title: "UK Space Agency opens £14.7 million GSTP funding round for domestic development" url: https://www.voxelmatters.com/uk-space-agency-opens-14-7-million-gstp-funding-round-to-boost-domestic-development/ date: 2026-04-09 modified: 2026-04-09 lang: en author: "Davide Sher" description: "The UK Space Agency opened a new funding round worth up to £14.7 million ($18.6 million) through the European Space Agency's General Support Technology Programme, its flagship initiative for advancing..." categories: - "Aerospace AM" - "AM for Space" - "Money & Funding" image: https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/s300_ICOMAT_gov_uk.jpg word_count: 599 --- # UK Space Agency opens £14.7 million GSTP funding round for domestic development The UK Space Agency [opened a new funding round worth up to £14.7 million ($18.6 million) through the European Space Agency's General Support Technology Programme](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/14-million-funding-boost-to-power-uk-space-technology-innovation), its flagship initiative for advancing space technologies from early-stage research to flight-ready demonstration. UK companies of all sizes, including universities and organizations outside the traditional space sector, were eligible to apply. The call followed a period of high demand, during which the UK's previous GSTP allocation was fully committed ahead of schedule, and no new rounds have been opened since March 2024. The UK committed £46 million ($58.2 million) to the program at ESA's 2025 Ministerial Council, continuing more than 30 years of national participation. ## Returns from space A UK Space Agency impact analysis covering 44 GSTP projects — representing 31% of total funding disbursed between 2019 and 2024 — documented measurable gains across technology readiness, revenue, and employment. Projects advanced an average of 2.28 Technology Readiness Levels, with some progressing up to four levels in a single year. TRLs measure proximity to real-world deployment on a scale from early-stage research to operational use. The sampled projects generated £24.6 million ($31.1 million) in additional revenue and delivered a 116% return on public investment while creating 113 new jobs, the majority of which were within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Nearly three-quarters of participating organizations reported forming new partnerships through the program, including links between SMEs and major system integrators. Two companies with advanced manufacturing profiles illustrated the program's scope. Bristol-based composite specialist iCOMAT used GSTP to demonstrate a novel manufacturing process for spacecraft structures, producing a prototype that was 25% lighter and 30% stronger than conventional designs — results that attracted £18 million ($22.8 million) in private investment. Space Forge used GSTP support to develop a reusable re-entry heat shield for returning materials manufactured in orbit, enabling £12.3 million ($15.6 million) in follow-on investment and the creation of 20 skilled jobs. The new £14.7 million package comprised two parallel calls: a £7 million ($8.9 million) co-funded round for technology development and a separate £7.7 million ($9.7 million) tranche of fully funded ESA technology contracts. ![Explore the latest UK space agency funding of up to £14.7 million for advancing space technologies and innovation.](https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/UK-space-scaled.jpg) ## Launching AM in the UK space supply chain Although it comes too late for pioneers like Orbex and Virgin Galactic, the GSTP funding round is directly relevant to UK-based space companies such as Skyrora and D-Orbit, which are also known AM adopters, as well as over [100 companies in the UK space-tech landscape](https://www.ukspacetech.com/). It could also prove beneficial to the cluster of UK-based additive manufacturing companies that have built significant capabilities serving the space and aerospace sectors. Materials Solutions, a Siemens Energy Business based in Worcester, has worked with Rolls-Royce for over a decade on serial production components for powder and fusion and was selected in early 2025 to supply AM parts for Rolls-Royce's civil aerospace programs. Rolls-Royce itself, which operates additive manufacturing across propulsion and defense applications, including directed energy deposition for blisk repair, would be a natural participant in GSTP-funded development work. Berkshire-based 3T Additive Manufacturing, now part of SBOT, also serves aerospace and defense customers with certified metal AM production. Belfast-based LPE (Laser Prototypes Europe), an AS9100-preferred supplier to several UK space companies, offering production of titanium, aluminum, stainless steel, and Inconel, has been active at the UK Space Conference and is positioned to access funding through the program's SME-oriented structure. The 90% rate of novel technology development in SME-led GSTP projects, combined with the program's track record of unlocking private investment, makes it a viable pathway for AM service providers and technology developers seeking to qualify components for space applications and build credibility with prime contractors.