UK opens new lab to advance satellite electric propulsion technology
Date: 2026-02-08
The UK has unveiled a new laboratory aimed at helping domestic companies develop and test engines for the next generation of satellites.
The
Disruptive Experimental Electric Propulsion (DEEP) Lab, built by Magdrive at
the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, provides specialist facilities for
electric propulsion systems, enabling satellites to manoeuvre, maintain orbits,
and travel further using less fuel than conventional chemical rockets.
The
laboratory was established with £1.8 million in funding from the UK Space
Agency’s Space Clusters Infrastructure Fund, supporting the country’s growing
capabilities in space technology and satellite innovation.
