UK Space Agency Awards HyImpulse £5 Million for Suborbital Rocket Launch

The UK Space Agency (UKSA) has awarded £5 million ($5.94 million USD) in new funding to HyImpulse to facilitate the launch of its suborbital SR75 rocket from SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland.

The grant is part of a larger £33 million investment in more than 20 national space projects aimed at fostering innovation and growth within the UK space sector. The £33 million in funding comes from UKSA's National Space Innovation Programme, designed to promote investment in "high-potential technologies" that could drive technological advancement and economic growth.

HyImpulse's Sustainable Hybrid: Accelerated Rocket Programme (SHARP) was initially stated to receive £5 million. However, a subsequent clarification from the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland detailed the exact amount as £4,995,000.

Collaborative Effort for SHARP Project

HyImpulse will collaborate with Cranfield University, Birmingham University, and the AVICON Partnership on the SHARP project.

The project’s goal is to launch the German rocket builder's SR75 sounding rocket from the UK’s SaxaVord Spaceport, a critical step towards completing the second stage of HyImpulse’s SL1 rocket, which aims to deploy payloads into orbit.

Ongoing Support from UK Government

This latest funding is not the first instance of UK government support for HyImpulse.

In December 2022, the company was awarded £399,000 to establish a UK-based test programme for its hybrid rocket motors. A year later, in December 2023, HyImpulse received £3.4 million through ESA's Boost! programme to support spaceflight activities from UK spaceports.

UKSA anticipates these investments will yield substantial benefits in the coming years. The UKSA announced that HyImpulse plans to invest up to €50 million in the UK over the next three years. This investment is expected to create approximately 70 new jobs, further boosting the UK’s space industry.

Broader Support for German Rocket Builders

HyImpulse is not the only German rocket builder benefiting from UK funding for launches from SaxaVord. In November 2023, it was revealed that Rocket Factory Augsburg had received £3.5 million to conduct RFA ONE flights from the Scottish launch facility.

This strategic funding underscores the UK's commitment to becoming a major player in the global space industry, supporting both domestic and international companies in developing cutting-edge space technologies and services.