A group of universities in the UK has secured funding from Research England to enhance study and innovation in the country’s space industry.

The £4.8m Connecting Capability Fund (CCF) grant has been secured by the Universities of Leicester, Southampton, Surrey, and Edinburgh, as well as the Open University.

The grant is expected to enable small and medium-sized businesses to collaborate with the universities, where they will have better access to academic expertise and facilities.

Together, the universities created the Space Research and Innovation Network for Technology (SPRINT) programme, which focuses on the space sector and engages 400 businesses supporting the UK Space Sector Growth Strategy.

“The UK Space Agency is working hard to ensure the benefits of space are felt across the whole of the country as part of the government’s industrial strategy.”

The UK Space Agency is also involved in SPRINT, along with Satellite Applications Catapult, Seraphim, SSTL and the Science and Technology Facilities Council.

UK Space Agency chief executive Dr Graham Turnock said: “Our growing space sector depends on the success of technology and expertise that comes from the world-class research carried out in the UK.

“The UK Space Agency is working hard to ensure the benefits of space are felt across the whole of the country as part of the government’s industrial strategy.

“The SPRINT programme has our full support. It will help smaller businesses tap into the world-class knowledge of some of the UK’s leading universities, giving them a real boost and creating new jobs.”

The newly awarded funding for SPRINT is part of Research England’s £67m investment in new collaborative projects between universities and other partners. It aims to support university commercialisation across the UK.