Mission

Beyond Earth

The Beyond Earth mission aims to capture high-value opportunities in the expanding in-space economy by positioning the UK as a leading participant in the global ISAM supply chain by 2035.

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Mission overview

The UK’s in-orbit capabilities are growing rapidly. Satellites built and operated by UK companies already support critical in-space services, from climate monitoring to telecommunications, but the next technical frontier is the ability to work on spacecraft and manufacture new components in-orbit. At the same time, the cost of launch has fallen significantly, lowering barriers to entry and encouraging a surge in commercial activity in space. This is enabling a broader range of organisations to participate in the market and accelerating innovation across the sector.

These emerging capabilities will enable the rapid expansion of LEO constellations, the next generation of solar power stations, and the development of new drugs in space – all high value markets providing new growth opportunities for the UK space sector.

Recent UK government strategies have highlighted In-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) as a future growth pillar, but despite this we still see low awareness of the technology, inconsistent demand signals, and unclear revenue models. This comes alongside stronger reporting and regulatory frameworks that, while essential for trust and safety, can create complexity for SMEs, limiting their ability to scale.

The Catapult’s mission is to support UK companies to thrive in this evolving market. The Beyond Earth mission addresses these barriers directly by bridging technology gaps, clarifying regulatory pathways, and providing access to state-of-the-art facilities for validation and testing. In doing so, it enables UK organisations to scale their capabilities and compete globally within the in-space economy.

The mission is working across two main areas. In-Space Logistics, Servicing, and Assembly, which focuses on supporting the technology to refuel, repair, upgrade, or reposition spacecraft, extending mission lifetimes and reducing space debris, and In-Space Manufacturing and R&D which looks to support the production of materials such as semiconductors and pharmaceuticals in-space.

Market Ambiguity

Inconsistent demand signals and unclear revenue models make ROI hard to quantify, deterring private investment and slowing market growth.

Technology Gaps

Key technologies remain at low TRL with limited access to testbeds and on-orbit demonstrations, increasing risk and delaying commercial deployment.

Fragmented Standards

The absence of common docking, refuelling, and data standards raises costs and limits interoperability.

Regulatory Uncertainty

Ambiguous legal, licensing, liability, and insurance frameworks create planning risk and discourage early commercial commitments.

Institutional Inertia

Low awareness, risk aversion, and requirements for clear upfront ROI slow adoption and prolong procurement cycles.

A spacecraft orbits Earth with a crescent moon visible in the distant background.

The In-Space, Logistics, Servicing, and Assembly intervention focuses on applications such as servicing, refuelling, debris removal, and life extension, as well as assembly of infrastructure in space.

This intervention provides state-of-the-art testing, validation, and demonstration capabilities that enable technologies to be proven and demonstrated at scale, while supporting the integration of UK technologies and capabilities into the ISAM supply chain.

Through the delivery of collaborative research and development (CR&D) projects, it convenes key stakeholders to reinforce the ISAM ecosystem, contributes to the development of regulations and standards, and creates targeted training opportunities to build the skilled workforce required for sustained sector growth.

In-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing

Satellite Assembly, Integration, and Testing

The Demand

The global in-space economy is experiencing a significant uptick in demand for In-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) technologies. We’re seeing demand signals from industries such as defence and pharmaceuticals, presenting a strategic growth opportunity for the UK space sector.

UK policy – including the National Space Strategy, Space Industrial Plan, Industrial Strategy, and Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan – explicitly prioritise ISAM, recognising its critical role in sustaining the UK’s long-term participation in the global space economy.

The UK is well positioned to lead in in-space capabilities through its strengths in space robotics, autonomous navigation, AI-driven mission autonomy, and modular spacecraft design. Backed by a robust industrial base and leading R&D institutions, and a globally recognised ecosystem for finance, insurance, and regulatory support, the UK has the capabilities to capture a significant share of the growing ISAM market.

Research to Real-World

The Beyond Earth mission helps bridge the gap between scientific discovery and practical use – by connecting expertise and providing access to facilities, the mission helps innovators test technologies, refine solutions, and move closer to commercial deployment.

Support CR&D projects between the space and non-space sectors
Provide access to specialist facilities for testing, prototyping, verification, and validation
Run feasibility studies to identify the infrastructure needed to support emerging industries

Scale-up

Beyond Earth helps companies refine their value proposition, build technology capabilities, demonstrate solutions, and connect with investors and customers, ready to enter global markets.

Provide opportunities for demonstrations and pilot projects to prove solutions in practice
Connect companies with investors and funding opportunities
Offer technology due diligence and investment readiness support

Market Opportunity

The Beyond Earth mission helps businesses understand market needs, build strong business cases, and connect with customers across multiple sectors through targeted programmes and partnerships.

Run challenge-led accelerator programmes to develop solutions with industry partners
Connect technology providers with customers and end-users
Integrate UK companies into international supply chains and collaborative projects

Enabling Ecosystem

The mission helps create the conditions needed for companies and technologies to succeed. By strengthening the wider ecosystem, Beyond Earth ensures businesses have the tools, talent, and partnerships needed to grow.

Provide expert advice on emerging technologies and standards
Convene different actors within the supply chain to translate R&D into demonstrations
Support the development of international standards and interoperability frameworks