Polaris Intelligence
Polaris
Intelligence
About
Ctrl K
Sign in
© Polaris Intelligence 2026
PrivacyTermsAdmin

Science and Technology Facilities Council

GB

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) is a UK government agency that supports scientists and engineers by funding research in space science, astronomy, particle physics, and nuclear physics. STFC operates world-class research facilities and manages the UK's engagement with international facilities, providing access to cutting-edge technology for the research community. Key partners include the UK Space Agency, ESA, CERN, and various universities, with a focus on space technology transfer and commercialization of intellectual property. STFC also offers public engagement and educational resources.

gov civil
United Kingdom
stfc.ukri.org/
Admin Edit
0.0-5.0

All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.

ELSA-M’s first test stop was RAL Space STFC’s UK National Satellite Test Facility for mass properties testing.

CapabilityPlanValue 3.0Apr 24, 2026RT by @GewoonLukas_: ELSA-M testing underway! 🛰️ First stop was at @RAL_Space_STFC, entering the UK’s National Satellite Test Facility for Mass Properties Testing. This testing measures mass, centre of gravity, and moments of inertia - crucial for optimising satellite attitude control in space. pic.

The DESI collaboration has support from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center, the U.S. National Science Foundation, the United Kingdom Science and Technology Facilities Council, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Heising-Simons Foundation, France’s Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, Mexico’s SECIHTI, Spain’s Ministry of Science and Innovation, and DESI member institutions.

RelationshipsGeneralValue 3.0Apr 16, 2026Energia oscura, DESI completa la mappa 3D dell’universo

The UK Science and Technology Facilities Council needs to cut £162 million (€187 million) in spending by FY2029-30 to align with a new outcome-focused approach to R&D funding.

FinancialGovernanceLegalValue 4.0Jan 30, 2026Budget Cuts Deal Another Blow to UK Space Sector

STFC Executive Chair Michele Dougherty wrote that the planned cuts would build on last year’s 15% reduction in new grants.

FinancialGovernanceLegalValue 2.5Jan 30, 2026Budget Cuts Deal Another Blow to UK Space Sector

STFC expects future spending to be around 70% of FY2024-25 levels.

FinancialValue 2.8Jan 30, 2026Budget Cuts Deal Another Blow to UK Space Sector

Royal Astronomical Society Executive Director Robert Massey warned that the STFC cuts could force postdoctoral researchers out of academia and could close entire academic departments.

LegalGeneralValue 1.8Jan 30, 2026Budget Cuts Deal Another Blow to UK Space Sector

The Webb dark matter mapping work received support from NASA, the UK Research Councils’ Science and Technology Facilities Council, the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, the RCUK/STFC Central Laser Facility at the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, and the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales.

RelationshipsValue 4.0Jan 30, 2026Webb sharpens view of dark matter shaping the cosmos

The planned STFC cuts will impact both future grants and projects already underway.

GeneralFinancialPlanValue 2.0Jan 30, 2026Budget Cuts Deal Another Blow to UK Space Sector

HyMS was developed in collaboration with the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council’s RAL Space and STAR-Dundee Ltd.

RelationshipsValue 3.5Nov 19, 2025Spire Global ships 9 satellites to launch site

The UK-ACE CCN is part funded by the Satellite Applications Catapult and led by the Harwell Space Cluster – Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

RelationshipsGeneralValue 3.0Apr 4, 2024UK-Autonomous + Connected Earth Network launches to unite communities through space technology

The Science and Technology Facilities Council, part of UK Research and Innovation, contributed £800,000 to the Enabling Technologies Program.

FinancialRelationshipsGeneralValue 4.0Nov 23, 2023UK Space Agency Announces Funding for 23 Ground-Breaking Space Technology Projects

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is working with the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) RAL Space to deliver a smallsat calibration facility.

RelationshipsCapabilityValue 4.0Jul 25, 2023The UK’s NPL + RAL Space to deliver smallsat state-of-the-art facility

Spire entered a partnership with RAL Space, which is part of the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council, to further develop and deploy the Hyperspectral Microwave Sounder (HYMS) on Spire satellites.

RelationshipsCapabilityPlanValue 4.0Jul 21, 2022Spire Global unveils plan to augment weather data and forecasting services

Spire entered a partnership with RAL Space, a part of the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council, to further develop and deploy the Hyperspectral Microwave Sounder (HYMS) on Spire satellites.

RelationshipsCapabilityPlanValue 4.7Jul 20, 2022Spire Global Unveils Plan to Augment its Weather Data and Forecasting with Microwave Sounders

On 2021-03-04 ISISPACE was selected by Science and Technology Facilities Council’s RAL Space to provide a 12-Unit CubeSat platform to support the SPEQTRE mission.

RelationshipsPlanGeneralValue 4.6Mar 4, 2021ISISPACE selected to develop 12-Unit CubeSat platform for emerging Quantum Key Distribution mission
Track