Norfolk's burgeoning space industry has been given a boost after a £100,000 investment for one of the county's businesses.
The British Design Fund has awarded the money to space services startup Gravitilab Aerospace Services, based at Scottow Enterprise Park - formerly RAF Coltishall.
Gravitilab last year launched a rocket, called ADA, several hundred feet into the sky off a Scottish island.
Founded in 2018, the company has already received a stream of investments and grants, including being a recent inductee into the European Space Agency Business Incubation Centres UK program.
The company's technology, including its LOUIS altered gravity drone system - due for official launch this summer - recreates microgravity environments, which are useful for scientific research.
Rob Adlard, Gravitilab's technical director, said: “There are currently very few ways to conduct research when you’re developing a product for use in space.
"Of those that do exist, the cost is prohibitively high, waiting lists can be years long and access to small and medium sized enterprises is almost non-existent.
"We knew there had to be a solution, which is where the idea for Gravitilab was born.”
Damon Bonser, chief executive of the British Design Fund, said: “Space exploration is a growing and highly attractive market which offers many opportunities and there is a clear need for the services Gravitilab is offering.
"What really appealed to us about Gravitilab is that the company has proven technology that’s solving an important problem and a very credible team.
"Enabling accessibility to this kind of testing is going to be a gamechanger for universities and researchers and will support scientific and engineering advancements.”
New Anglia Local Enterprise (LEP) recently revealed how it wanted to position the county to attract more companies involved with the space sector and to help fulfil the potential of those already here.
The LEP - which works with businesses and councils to drive economic growth in Norfolk and Suffolk - announced plans to hire a space sector consultant to bring in crucial expertise to maximise the opportunities.
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