Nearly £11 million will go towards a range of services offering practical and emotional help – allowing organisations to recruit more staff, adapt to remote counselling methods during the pandemic and keep helplines open for longer.

In addition Ministers have today announced a further £7 million will go towards a range of innovative programmes aimed at perpetrators – designed to prevent domestic abuse from happening in the first place.

It comes as charities have reported a sharp increase in demand during the pandemic, including a 46% rise in calls, with some victims feeling at greater risk of harm or deciding to report abuse for the first time.

The package of support confirmed today includes:

• £10.1 million going to rape and domestic abuse support centres and Police and Crime Commissioners to fund services across England and Wales.
• £7.17 million for a range of innovative programmes aimed at perpetrators to last beyond the pandemic to help offenders change their behaviours and prevent these destructive crimes from happening in the first place. Independent research has shown these programmes cut risk of physical abuse, with the Drive Partnership, which is one of the programmes being funded, demonstrating an 82% reduction in risk 29 funding awards totalling £7.17 million have been awarded to Police and Crime Commissioners working with perpetrators of domestic abuse, including West Mercia, Dorset and Sussex.
• £680,000 going directly towards up to 34 domestic abuse organisations that have shown a need for extra funds. The 34 organisations provide support services for victims, including front line services and virtual services. Funds might be needed, for example, to provide new temporary staff to deal with additional calls to helplines or to provide additional counselling for victims.
• A renewal of the #YouAreNotAlone campaign for the period of new restrictions which signposts people towards support services and online resources, and reminds people that the new national restrictions do not apply if you are in danger at home.

In addition, victims of all crimes will benefit from a clearer set of rights regarding the support they should receive from the police, courts and other criminal justice agencies.

The new Victims’ Code sets out 12 key overarching rights, which are clear, concise and easy understand.  It will come into force on 1 April 2021 and includes a new right for eligible victims to be automatically referred to the Victim Contact Scheme as well as greater rights for victims of mentally disordered offenders.

Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Robert Buckland QC MP said:

Nothing will detract from our support for victims and their needs will continue to be a priority long after this pandemic.

This funding will make sure that vital help is always available for those who need it, while our new Victims’ Code will ensure their rights are recognised at every stage of the justice system.

Home Secretary, Priti Patel said:

My message to victims of domestic abuse during this unprecedented time is clear: You are not alone.

This funding and our awareness campaign will help victims get the support they need, and police work is continuing throughout the winter to ensure victims are protected and those committing these crimes feel the full force of the law.

It is also vital that we tackle the root causes of violent behaviour which is why we are funding perpetrator prevention programmes to identify serial offenders, and work with them to change their behaviour.

Minister for Housing and Rough Sleeping Kelly Tolhurst MP said:

We know that for some the lockdown has led to issues with violence in the home – this is completely unacceptable. Our message to those fleeing domestic abuse is that you can still leave your home and escape to safety if needed with your children – and we are keeping refuges open to support.

Our emergency funding is creating extra bed spaces over winter,  to help supporting victims escape and rebuild their lives, free from abuse.

Today’s funding follows the announcement of an unprecedented £76 million pledged by Ministers in May to help the most vulnerable in society during this challenging time and builds on transformational measures included in the landmark Domestic Abuse Bill.

Meanwhile, domestic abuse, sexual violence cases and other serious offences have been prioritised by the courts during the pandemic. The government is investing £80 million in a range of measures to reduce delays and deliver speedier justice for victims – including hiring 1,600 new staff and opening more temporary ‘Nightingale Courts’.

Chief Executive of Victim Support, Diana Fawcett, said:

We welcome this additional funding from the Ministry of Justice which will enable us to continue operating our essential live chat service 24/7, nationwide.

We recognise that those affected by crime may be worried about accessing support services during these current restrictions, so it’s more important than ever to respond to victims at any time, regardless of where they live. We also know that for victims of crime who live with their abusers, live chat offers them an alternative way to access practical and emotional support discreetly.

During this challenging time, our message to victims is clear. Our specialist support services are still open and are here to offer you free and confidential support whenever you need it.

APCC Victims Leads Deputy Mayor of London Sophie Linden, and Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner of North Yorkshire Julia Mulligan, said:

Police and Crime Commissioners welcome today’s announcement. The additional money we are receiving will help domestic abuse and sexual violence charities in our communities provide the support vulnerable victims need, where they need it most.

We also welcome the re-launch the national #YouAreNotAlone campaign. The Covid-19 pandemic has heightened concerns around abuse taking place behind closed doors. Everyone needs to recognise they have a part of play in looking out for vulnerable members of our communities. And victims need to know that services are still open to them if they need help and support.

We continue to make the case for increased funding allocations which also provide certainty for our service providers and allow for longer-term planning, capacity building, and service resilience.

Since the pandemic government has made available over £92 million to ensure victims of crime can still access the support they rely on. This includes:

• £10 million for domestic abuse safe accommodation charities services.
• £26.4 million to support vulnerable children, including support for families of disabled children and working to safeguard vulnerable children including care leavers and children in the early years.
• £22 million to help victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence in the community access support services during the coronavirus outbreak, and a further £3 million per annum investment in Independent Sexual Violence Advisers until 2022. This funding applies to England and Wales.
• £3.8 million for community-based domestic abuse services and modern slavery services, and for added support for modern slavery charities who have been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.
• £7.8 million in emergency support for charities helping vulnerable children who have been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. This includes children at risk of sexual abuse and criminal exploitation

Throughout the pandemic, the measures introduced by this government have been designed to protect and support everyone across the UK, including our most vulnerable. This announcement forms part of that ongoing work.

Notes to editors

Funding

• The Ministry of Justice will provide £10.1 million that will go directly towards services supporting victims as well as all Police and Crime Commissioners who will distribute funds themselves to organisations in their areas. The funding will be distributed from this week onwards.
• The Home Office has confirmed 29 funding awards totalling £7.17 million to Police and Crime Commissioners working with perpetrators of domestic abuse. This funding will introduce a range of innovative programmes from early intervention through to intensive targeted programmes for high-harm and high-risk offenders. This includes the Drive Partnerships which independent evaluation has shown participation results in substantial reductions in abuse and risk among the users of this service, with physical abuse reduced by 82% and controlling behaviours reduced by 73%. By funding perpetrator services, we will address the root of the problem by preventing offending.
• The government’s #YouAreNotAlone communications campaign, which raises awareness of domestic abuse and guides people to advice and support available in 16 languages, has been relaunched and will continue over the period of new restrictions.
• £683,000 will be awarded by the Home Office to the 34 domestic abuse organisations which received allocations from one or both of the two original £2 million pots of Covid funding, subject to their showing a need for extra funds.
• MHCLG has extended the spending period for their £10 million emergency funding for domestic abuse safe accommodation charities, and many charities have taken up this offer, ensuring extra bed spaces are in place over winter..

Victims Code

• Following a consultation in March a new Victims’ Code – which sets out the minimum level of services victims can expect from criminal justice agencies – will be published this week.
• The new Code will come into force on 1 April 2021, to allow criminal justice agencies and others who provide services under the Code time to embed any operational changes to meet their new obligations.
• Changes in the new Code include:
  • Simplifying and shortening the Code to make it clear, concise and easy to understand.
  • Changing the Victim Contact Scheme from an opt-in to an automatic referral scheme.
  • Offering greater flexibility over when a Victim Personal Statement, which tells the court how the crime has affected the victim, can be made.
  • New rights for victims of mentally disordered offenders, allowing them access to a Victim Liaison Officer to provide information on an offender’s management and potential release from hospital.
  • For the first time, the Code sets out the rights of victims of Foreign National Offenders to be updated on when an offender’s deportation may occur.
  • The new Code also includes practical information about how victims can access services provided by the National Health Service and sign-posts them to where they can get help and advice if they are approached by the media.

The Domestic Abuse Bill will:

• Create a statutory definition of domestic abuse, emphasising that domestic abuse is not just physical violence, but can also be emotional, coercive or controlling, and economic abuse. As part of this definition, children will be explicitly recognised as victims if they witness abuse
• Establish a Domestic Abuse Commissioner, to stand up for victims and survivors, raise public awareness, monitor the response of local authorities, the justice system and other statutory agencies and hold them to account in tackling domestic abuse
• Provide for a new Domestic Abuse Protection Notice and Domestic Abuse Protection Order, which will prevent perpetrators from contacting their victims, as well as force them to take positive steps to change their behaviour, e.g. seeking mental health support
• Place a duty on local authorities in England to provide support to victims of domestic abuse and their children in refuges and other safe accommodation
• Prohibit perpetrators of abuse from cross-examining their victims in person in courts in England and Wales
• Introduce a ban on the “rough sex” defence by incorporating the case of R vs Brown into legislation, invalidating any courtroom defence of consent where a victim suffers serious harm or is killed
• Create a statutory presumption that victims of domestic abuse are eligible for special measures in the criminal courts (for example, to enable them to give evidence via a video link)
• Enable domestic abuse offenders to be subject to polygraph testing as a condition of their licence following their release from custody
• Place the guidance supporting the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (“Clare’s law”) on a statutory footing
  ensure that when local authorities rehouse victims of domestic abuse, they do not lose a secure lifetime or assured tenancy
• Extend the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the criminal courts in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to further violent and sexual offences. Detailed factsheets on each point are available on gov.uk

DA Perpetrator Interventions Fund recipients:

• Mayor’s Office for Police and Crime
• Gwent
• Leicestershire
• Suffolk
• Hampshire
• Staffordshire
• Cheshire
• Nottinghamshire
• Greater Manchester Combined Authority
• Lancashire
• West Mercia
• Merseyside
• South Yorkshire
• Sussex
• West Midlands
• Essex
• Devon & Cornwall
• North Yorkshire
• West Yorkshire

Drive programme fund recipients:

• Greater Manchester Combined Authority
• West Mercia
• West Midlands
• Northumbria
• Mayor’s Office for Police and Crime
• Dorset
• South Wales

Good afternoon everybody. It’s a great pleasure to be here at TheCityUK conference today to talk about how we can make the UK a hub for digital and services in trade.

Now we all recognise Covid is a very difficult time, not just for Britain but right all around the world. But the way we are going to recover from this crisis is through trade.

And what is particularly important is trade in services, and trade in digital. We have seen how over the course of the pandemic there has been an acceleration of the use of technology, and of course Britain is incredibly well placed to benefit from the future growth in areas like digital, services, and technology.

From robotics to fintechs, to computer games, to green finance, we are the second largest exporter in the world, totalling £318bn, and we export nearly as many services from Scotland and the North West of England as the entirety of France does.

We are the top FDI destination in Europe, with more investment in technology than Germany and France put together, totalling more than £10bn. Our computer games industry is growing faster than ever, and in terms of “tech unicorns,” billion-dollar tech companies, we have more than any other country apart from the United States and China. Fintechs firms like Revolut, Monzo and Transferwise, so we really are leaders in the area of services and technology.

What I think we can do with our own independent trading policy is we can help shape the future of the global rules in areas like digital, in areas like services, that haven’t seen the level of reform that they need to at the World Trade Organisation.

We can work with likeminded partners, other countries that believe in free enterprise, democracy, and the global rules-based system, to actually promote those new areas like digital and data trade.

We are prioritising our services in digital industry, alongside our other key interests like advanced manufacturing, and like the food and drink industry.

In all of the trade negotiations we are currently engaged in we are looking for advanced services chapters with our negotiating partners in areas like data and digital, in areas like financial services, mutual recognition of professional qualifications, and mobility.

Because we know that all of those specific chapters, specific areas, deliver real benefits not just for London and the South East, but right across the United Kingdom.

We also have just announced our new Office for Investment, bringing together a crack team across Government, under the leadership of Lord Gerry Grimstone, which will deal with the bureaucratic barriers that investors face when they’re seeking to invest in the United Kingdom.

We are also boosting our exports in areas like digital and services, we have just launched for example a digital and trade network across Asia Pacific to support companies out in that region, with people on the ground that understand the details of those businesses. And what is really important is that as we negotiate these new trade deals, we are drawing on the strong expertise of the industry that we have in the country.

So this is why we’ve established new Trade Advisory Groups, and on them sit organisations like CityUK, and other professional services, financial services, and legal services organisations – making sure that as we negotiate the deals we are getting the specific advice, the technical advice, that is going to give us the best possible deal for the United Kingdom.

We also make sure that leading professional service providers sit on our Strategic Trade Advisory Group, like KPMG. And we have also got the Board of Trade, which leads on our broader trade strategy and new ideas. We have got the founder and Chief Executive of Starling Bank, Anne Boden, on the Board of Trade, as well as the Lord Mayor of the City of London, because our trade policy is designed to benefit businesses across the UK. We can only make sure that it does that if we are involving and engaging you as we work on these trade negotiations.

We do see an opportunity to lead the world in areas like digital and data trade, and services trade.

Next year we will have the Presidency of the G7, and trade will be one of the key issues we are discussing. We will be looking at green trade; we will be looking at trade against pandemics; we will be looking at reforming the WTO to update the rules for the modern age; and we will also be looking at digital and data trade. And again, we will be involving organisations like TheCityUK in the work we’re doing to promote those initiatives.

We launched the UK Global Tariff earlier this year, it is a simpler lower tariff than the common external tariff. What it also does is reduce tariffs on a hundred green products, an idea we are very keen to promote across the world to encourage other countries to adopt it.

Because as we seek to move forward on the green agenda, as we are hosting COP26 next year, the UK has already become the first country in the world to make robust environmental disclosure standards mandatory, and we are doubling our international climate finance to £11.6bn.

We believe that through a combination of technology, of trade, and of working together with other nations we can make a real difference.

And in terms of our broader trade agenda, we have put in our manifesto our ambition to get 80% of the UKs trade covered by Free Trade Agreements within three years. We want to build a cat’s cradle of trade deals across the Atlantic and Pacific, with the United Kingdom at its heart.

Now this isn’t a typical cat’s cradle, we want one that’s supercharged by fibre optic cables and satellites, and we want it focused on our strengths which, alongside food and drink and advanced manufacturing, are digital and services.

Miles very kindly mentioned the Japan deal that we have recently struck. This deal is important because it shows the type of trade policy that the United Kingdom wants to have post EU as an independent trading nation.

It goes further than the existing deal in areas like digital and data, anti-data localisation, protecting the free-flow of data, but also protecting things like source code and net neutrality.

It goes further in terms of professional services, of mobility of professionals between the United Kingdom and Japan.

It goes further in areas like intellectual property protection, and it goes further in areas like protection of Geographical Indicators.

What it does is allows greater innovation, it allows greater trade, particularly in technology. But it also makes sure that our financial services trade is underpinned by regulatory dialogue and again underpinned by advanced data and digital agreement.

Our services are our biggest export to Japan, accounting for 51% of trade. I was very pleased that TheCityUK concluded that it raises the bar for trade agreements in services. I mentioned the temporary movement of high skilled professionals, but what we’ve also achieved in the Japan deal is measures affecting the supply of services, including technical standards and making sure they’re administered in a reasonable, objective, and impartial manner.

It also paves the way for us to explore mutual recognition of professional qualifications, and British providers stand to benefit from most rules Japan may liberalise, such as the Foreign Lawyers Act. I believe that these provisions show the UK’s commitment to a liberal and transparent trading environment.

And what we secured in the Japan deal is only the start. We are also in negotiations with the United States, we recently completed round 5. Again we are looking for an ambitious financial services chapter, with high regulatory standards and the agreement to facilitate cross border flows.

Of course, we are working with both parties in the United States, there is a consensus that a trade deal with the United Kingdom is a good thing, and we are determined to make further progress.

We are also working with our close allies, Australia and New Zealand, on gold standard deals that would go further in areas like services, in areas like digital data, and in areas like investment. And these agreements are important in themselves, for the economic benefit they bring, but they’re also important because they provide a bridge towards the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a very exciting agreement because it contains some very high-quality services chapters that will be of huge benefit to the United Kingdom.

British companies have been doing £111bn worth of trade with members of this free trade zone, and we can do even more as a full member of the organisation. It would give us unprecedented and deep access to over 40% of the world’s Gross Domestic Product, which equates to over £27tn. And if you add the EU to that number, that’s £40tn.

What I think is interesting about CPTPP is the ability to have a single set of rules operating across that area, which not only benefit our businesses, but also help to set the global environment in a world where the WTO hasn’t significantly updated its rule on some of these issues since 1995.

We are also doing further work alongside Trans-Pacific Partnership accession with countries like India and Brazil to remove market access barriers in areas in both goods and services.

One thing I did want to mention is the importance of digital and data and services in trade, and the fact we think it’s not fully being taken into account in the economic models we do at the moment. So this is where we have commissioned Tony Venables of Oxford University to look at the benefits in particular of digital and data, and services, chapters on trade agreements.

A recent study of USMCA suggested that digital and data chapter actually had more effect on the economy than any other part of that agreement, and we suspect that’s the case for deals like Japan and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and we want to get more evidence about the specific benefits that digital and data provide.

It has been great to have the opportunity to talk to TheCityUK about our ambitious plans to create a cat’s cradle of trade deals across the world, with advanced services and digital chapters.

We believe that we can open up new opportunities to businesses abroad and attract more investment across our country.

We have unparalleled opportunities ahead because we are prepared to be innovative, we are prepared to look at new ideas, we are open to these advanced digital and data agreements. And we believe that this can benefit domestic industry in the United Kingdom, but also attract more investment overseas.

I think this year, of all years, we have seen that our services and digital and data trade is a key for the future prosperity of the United Kingdom. At the Department for International Trade we are absolutely determined to make sure that we continue to deliver on that, that we continue to open up new opportunities, and we continue to work with this industry that is so vital for the whole United Kingdom.

Thank you.

Published 17 November 2020
Last updated 28 December 2020 + show all updates

The Environment Agency is asking river users in Northumberland to play their part to help safeguard the future of the rare native white-clawed crayfish in the River Wansbeck.

It comes after increased reports of invasive American signal crayfish being present in the nearby River Coquet. Signal crayfish carry a plague disease which is fatal to the native species. Ecology experts are advising river users to take extra care not to transfer the invasive signal crayfish between the two rivers and put the protected white-clawed crayfish in danger.

Environment Agency Biodiversity Technical Specialist, Scott Mackenzie, said:

At the moment, it is difficult to say how extensive the signal crayfish population is in the River Coquet, but it is essential that we take every step to prevent their spread.

River users should Check – Clean – Dry their footwear, equipment and even their dogs after spending time in and around watercourses. Anything that has made contact with the water and riverbank needs to be cleaned thoroughly after use with warm water and environmentally friendly detergent. Then fully dried for 48 hours to make sure all parasites are killed. This will help stop the disease spreading from one watercourse to another.

The American species of crayfish is bigger, more aggressive and out-competes our native crayfish. Most importantly it also carries a fungal disease known as crayfish plague that has wiped out our native crayfish from most rivers in the south of England.

The River Wansbeck is one of the last native crayfish strongholds in the country.

Scott added:

The invasive signal crayfish poses a significant risk to the future of the native white-clawed crayfish and we want to do everything in our powers to help safeguard the population that lives in the River Wansbeck.

With the Coquet and Wansbeck catchments being so close to each other, river users including dog walkers, canoeists and anglers, often enjoy using both rivers. If the signal crayfish makes it into the River Wansbeck and other local rivers that support this native species, it could have a devastating impact on white-clawed populations.

The River Coquet is one of a number of North East rivers to have records of signal crayfish. Other rivers nearby include the River Pont and the River Blyth.

The Environment Agency has notified its partners in the area to help get the message to regular recreational users, as well as those organisations who may be doing work in the watercourses.

A year ago the Northumberland Catchment Partnership unveiled the Northumberland Crayfish Conservation Strategy which aims to protect the species, with conservation efforts including identifying potential habitat improvements and developing safe havens.

Back in August the Environment Agency warned the public of crayfish plague in the River Leven, which killed a large number of white-clawed crayfish. The native population on the Leven was previously unknown and the Environment Agency is now investigating whether any survived the outbreak.

The crayfish plague is only harmful to the native white-clawed crayfish and can’t be transmitted to humans or other animals.

If you ever need to report anything to the Environment Agency please call the incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

If you see an invasive signal crayfish in the River Coquet or the River Wansbeck please contact the Environmental Records Centre North East (ERIC)

The winners of the inaugural International Space Pitch Day were today announced marking several world firsts.

Ten tech start-ups successfully secured same-day contracts worth up to £53,000 ($66,000) to fast-track the development of their innovations after pitching direct to UK, US and NATO military leaders.

Air Vice-Marshal Harvey Smyth, UK Director Space, unveiled the winners following an afternoon of pitches in front of a global audience during the first day of the Defence Space Conference hosted from London.

It is the first time two nations anywhere in the world have come together to award defence contracts based around a pitch-style event, similar to Dragon’s Den/Shark Tank.

It is also the first time two nations have awarded joint defence innovation contracts to an overseas-based enterprise in this way.

And it is the first time same-day contracts have been awarded in this way to industry by the UK Ministry of Defence.

Air Vice-Marshal Smyth said:

Congratulations to the winners and all those that took part in the first International Space Pitch Day – it has captured the imagination of innovators and militaries not just across the UK and US, but all over the world.

It has achieved several world firsts and we look forward to building on its success as we seek to fast-track innovation and cutting-edge technology to the front line quicker than ever before with fresh ways of working with industry to make sure we stay ahead of our shared adversaries and the threats they pose.

Dr Will Roper, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, said:

Pitch Days open the government’s aperture to work with commercially-focused companies.

Competing for technology outside of our fence lines has been a major U.S. Air Force and Space Force theme. Partnering with our allies to compete globally is the natural evolution.

Space is especially exciting with so many ideas brought to the table by these firms, and I’m confident international space cooperation has a bright future.

Gary Aitkenhead, Dstl chief executive, said:

International Space Pitch Day represents an innovative way of working, ensuring that UK and US Defence are able to keep up with the rapid pace of commercial technology development.

We aim to connect world-class space innovation to military end-users at pace, supported by business and commercialisation training.

The winning companies are:

• 114 AI Innovation Ltd (India)
• Clearbox Systems Pty Ltd (Australia)
• Clutch Space Systems Ltd (UK)
• Cognitive Space, Inc. (US)
• precursor SPC (US)
• Riskaware Ltd and Telespazio Vega UK (UK)
• Rocket Communications (US)
• Slingshot Aerospace, Inc. (US)
• Spire Global UK (UK)
• Swim.ai, Inc. (US)

Fifteen proposals from tech start-ups and innovators battled it out to win funding by pitching to UK, US and NATO military leaders after being selected to take part in International Space Pitch Day from scores of entries from across the world.

Notes to editors:

International Space Pitch Day is a joint UK-US initiative that aims to find, fund and fast-track innovation and technology that gives advantage to military personnel and operations in the space domain.

The competition was open to innovators and entrepreneurs from all over the world delivered through the UK Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), assisted by Starburst Accelerator.

It is specifically designed to bolster tech start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and harness the power of their ingenuity and innovation.

The endeavour is jointly funded by the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), Royal Air Force and the US Air Force.

A grand coalition of Dstl, DASA, Royal Air Force, UK Strategic Command, the US Air Force, US Space Force, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has been assembled to find, fund, and fast-track the best ideas from start-up innovators to the front line.

Starburst Aerospace is acting as an industry partner to the International Space Pitch Day and carry out specialist training and mentoring on its behalf through an Allied Defence Accelerator. More details can be found at the International Space Pitch Day Virtual Learning Environment.

The format is the first of its kind in an international collaboration between two international allies.

Winning proposal summaries:

114 AI Innovation LLP (India)

Title: Spacewise

Exploitation toolset to visualise, access and analyse multiple input streams of Data for advanced Space Command and Control using Cognitive AI. This toolset enables space operations with allies and commercial partners by allowing visualization and analysis of multiple different sources of data in real time.

Clearbox Systems Pty Ltd (Australia)

Title: AI-enabled decision support for satellite service selection

To enhance a distributed satellite spectrum monitoring tool to incorporate AI-enabled decision support for satellite service selection. Applying AI techniques to the data and decision space can assist in improving prioritisation and selection of satellite services based on the Radio Frequency environment.

Clutch Space Systems Limited (United Kingdom)

Title: Space Resources Operational Availability Tool (SROAT)

The tool will be provided to operators to enable efficient and autonomous utilisation and assessment of the space assets for planning, and during operations. A prototype will include weather forecast interfaces, and orbit propagation, provide the satellite and payload simulations, automated mission planning code to support advanced queries, and provide the visualisation and AI modules.

Cognitive Space, Inc. (United States)

Title: Multi-Level Security through Partitioned Blockchain

Extending an AI-driven cloud satellite mission planning solution to include segregated access for multi-level security through the use of blockchain technology. This solution will provide a common operational picture of space assets across multiple security levels while providing means of filtering accessible data and actions based on security clearance and need to know basis.

precursor SPC (United States)

Title: 4D Space Weather Impact Tool

A Space Weather Impact Tool that delivers high-fidelity visualization of current, near-real time Space Weather conditions and forecasts of Space Weather conditions utilizing beacon satellites, multiple data sources, and ionospheric calibration systems to add the time dimension to Space Weather observations with an AI platform for forecasting. This novel approach improves ionospheric observation granularity by +10X while enabling Space Weather forecasting, and, delivering asset availability and management knowledge for mission readiness.

Riskaware Limited and Telespazio Vega UK (United Kingdom)

Title: SpaceAware Resilience

A comprehensive multi-tier modelling and visualisation tool aimed at supporting battlefield and business operations with risk and threat analysis to mission critical space assets and the impact on the operational theatre.

Rocket Communications (United States)

Title: Space:ACME – 4D Visualization Solution for Space Awareness, Communication, and Manoeuvre Evaluation

SpaceACME will provide intuitive and visual system for operators to envision system status, orbits, and predicted events; easily create multiple manoeuvre options and view/compare them to help decision-makers quickly grasp implications and improve decisions. Standardised visual language/formats will enable communication of status/alternatives across operation centres.

Slingshot Aerospace, Inc. (United States)

Title: Slingshot Orbital Ensemble Catalogue

Slingshot Aerospace and its partner CGI Federal, propose to deliver an active data curation capability that uses machine learning to create an ensemble catalogue using all individual provider catalogues. This proposed solution will enable space warfighters to build and maintain data trust for space safety and sustainability.

Spire Global UK (United Kingdom)

Title: Space Weather as a Service

The ability to produce a space weather recognised environmental picture and to convert that into operational action requires an underpinning sensor/modelling capability and a well-defined machine-to-machine Application Programming Interface (API). This project will demonstrate a new ionospheric scintillation service targeted at Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), satcom and missile defence users.

Swim.ai, Inc. (United States)

Title: Real-Time Orbital Situational Awareness Platform (ROSA)

ROSA will analyse multiple real-time and relational-data sources, create live digital twin models of all satellites, and provide real-time situational awareness including location, attributes, trajectories, and impact of space weather. Alerts will notify operators and commanders of threats of intercept, weather risks, changes in pattern of life, overflights, and resources available for battle-planning. Both will see results in real-time on a common operating picture, tailored for mission.