Lodestar Space secures SECP funding to advance AI-driven satellite awareness technology
Supported by Space South Central, the award will enable Lodestar to take a major step toward autonomous, AI-driven space situational awareness.
Lodestar Space has received funding through the UK Space Agency’s Space Ecosystem Commercialisation Programme (SECP), delivered by Space South Central, to accelerate development of its pioneering on-orbit sensing system.
The Lodestar Team.
The £30,000 SECP Sprint R&D grant will fund the integration and testing of a new LiDAR sensor within the existing on-orbit sensing suite of Mithril, Lodestar’s main product.
Mithril is the first fully autonomous, AI-powered on-orbit payload designed to detect, classify, and respond to other spacecraft in orbit. By integrating LiDAR with machine vision, and onboard AI, it can enable satellites to assess threats, support docking and servicing operations, and act without human intervention.
This project, named ECLIPSE, advances Mithril ’s LiDAR sensing technology, providing high-precision depth perception to enhance its ability to perceive and respond to its surroundings with greater accuracy and reliability.
Work will take place at Lodestar’s London headquarters using its in-house In-Orbit Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing (IOSM) testbed, a simulated space environment designed to replicate in-orbit visual conditions. The technology will feed directly into Lodestar’s future payloads, with flight demonstrations planned for launch in 2026.
Esther Rayssiguie, Chief Robotics Officer at Lodestar Space, said: “LiDAR sensing between satellites is challenging and this funding helps us de-risk a critical part of Mithril’s technology. Mithril represents a shift towards smarter, faster, more autonomous space operations and with SECP’s support, we’re bringing that future closer.”
The SECP is a £1.4 million UK Space Agency initiative, led by the Midlands Aerospace Alliance, to support smaller, high-growth space companies through rapid development grants of up to £30,000. Designed to accelerate R&D and unlock commercial opportunities, it’s being delivered through six regional clusters, with Space South Central representing the South East of England and the Isle of Wight.
Space South Central played a key role in helping Lodestar access SECP support, guiding the company through the funding process, aligning the project with national priorities in Space Domain Awareness and IOSM.
Dr Louise Butt, Director of Space South Central, said: “Space South Central exists to help innovators like Lodestar turn pioneering concepts into commercial reality. Our cluster plays a vital role in supporting high-potential businesses across the region by connecting them with national funding, strategic partners, and technical expertise. Rapid R&D investment, such as that provided through the SECP grant, is essential to raising Technology Readiness Levels and accelerating the journey from concept to commercial deployment. By enabling companies to de-risk critical technologies and demonstrate capability early, we’re helping the UK lead in space domain awareness and in-orbit servicing.”
Antonia Yendell, Head of Space Ecosystem Development, said "The Space Ecosystem Commercialisation programme is designed to empower the UK Space Cluster Network to invest in innovative local space companies. By enabling high potential businesses to commercialise their technology, establish new partnerships, and seize growth opportunities, it is driving local economic prosperity and strengthening capabilities. Collaboratively we are building a national space ecosystem which is competitive on the global stage."
