UK Research and Innovation is seeking expressions of interest (EOI) to participate in their Small-satellite missions sandpit, part of the UKRI Space Programme.
For anyone interested, the immediate next step is the 3 November briefing webinar at 10:30 UK time which will be a good opportunity to test the shape of an idea, eligibility and the practicalities of participation before the 25 November expression-of-interest deadline.
This is not a conventional open call for fully formed proposals. UKRI will select around 30 researchers and innovators for a sandpit, where the group will form and develop mission concepts. It expects to invite selected teams to apply for a share of up to £1.87 million, supporting around five or six 11-month studies from May 2027.
What to establish at the webinar?
Potential participants should use the session to test the user need, the distinction between an individual expression of interest and the later project stage, the expected mix of space, defence and environmental expertise and whether the route suits their technology maturity. The call seeks new small-satellite mission concepts with credible government or commercial demand, rather than incremental work on existing capability.
The expression of interest must come from someone based at a UKRI-eligible research organisation. Businesses cannot lead but they can contribute as project partners. For BARSC members, the sensible move is to identify an eligible research lead and arrive with a clear operational problem, end-user access and a view of the sensor, platform, data and service proposition.
The programme includes online and in-person work between 26 January and 10 February 2027, while sandpit attendance does not guarantee an invitation to the subsequent funding stage. Full UKRI guidance and registration are here.
Two more routes to consider
UK Space Agency Environmental Intelligence and Emissions Grant Call is the more direct route for teams with a market-ready service and a committed non-space customer. It offers up to £2 million overall and up to £400,000 per project for UK end-user businesses leading consortia with a UK space supplier. It covers climate, nature, natural capital, emissions monitoring and verification, with applications due by 16:00 GMT on 11 December 2026.
Its briefing webinar is also on 3 November at 11:00 GMT. That timing is annoying for anyone attending the UKRI session, so teams interested in both should register for both and confirm whether a recording will be available. Read the UK Space Agency call guidance.
ESA Space-Enabled Solutions for Resilient Grids is relevant for companies with a mature proposition for electricity-network resilience, including wildfire, flood, vegetation, infrastructure-condition and ground-movement monitoring. The call seeks proof-of-concept studies and pilot projects using existing space-enabled capabilities, rather than a pure technology-development pitch.
ESA gives a 29 January 2027 deadline for the first theme. Its page lists 2 November as the opening date but says applications for that theme are invited from 4 November, so applicants should verify the live application status before acting. It is not a procurement or a commitment from a transmission-system operator to buy a solution. Read ESA’s grid-resilience call.
It seems that the UKRI is a route into future mission concepts through a research-led team, the UK Space Agency call is a route to near-market adoption with an end-user business and ESA’s grid call is a route to validate an established service against a defined utility challenge.