---
title: "National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC): Project ADORA Ionosondes"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06dfb2"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06dfb2"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06dfb2.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06dfb2.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "Department for Science, Innovation & Technology"
published: "2026-08-25"
---

# National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC): Project ADORA Ionosondes

Buyer: Department for Science, Innovation & Technology  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06dfb2

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## Summary

The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology procured research and development services for Project ADORA, the next phase of UK ionosonde development led by the University of Birmingham. The work supports the rapid development and deployment of a new ionosonde system for ionospheric monitoring, helping inform space-weather decision-making and risk management. It also includes a software suite for remote monitoring and expanded modelling capabilities, including automatic scaling software. The requirement is for the National Space Operations Centre and covers activity in the United Kingdom. The procurement combines scientific research, specialist engineering and software development for space-weather monitoring technology, rather than a standard off-the-shelf supply. The Department is the public-sector buyer.

The procurement is complete and was awarded through a direct award. The University of Birmingham was selected on 25 August 2026 for £1,062,498.67 excluding VAT, or £1,274,998.40 including VAT. The contract period runs from 14 September 2026 to 31 March 2027, with a maximum extent to 31 March 2029. Two additional 12-month extensions are permitted for further development work packages, subject to budget availability and satisfactory completion of earlier packages. The award covers one lot. The direct-award rationale cites prototype and development work, testing ionosonde suitability, research and development of automatic scaling software, and the buyer’s assessment that no alternative supplier has the required technical capacity. The requirement was evaluated as research and development services.

This award indicates demand from the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology for specialist UK space-weather research and technology development. A credible future competitor would need demonstrable capability in ionosonde technology, ionospheric monitoring and the development or deployment of systems used for space-weather decision-making and risk management. Relevant capability also includes remote-monitoring software, modelling tools and automatic scaling software that can move from an initial sensor application towards use across multiple sensors. The work calls for research, experimentation, testing and development rather than routine service delivery, so suppliers would need strong technical expertise, scientific understanding and the ability to deliver staged development work packages. Experience of taking prototype systems into operationally relevant environments would strengthen a supplier’s position when this buyer next tests similar requirements.

## Notice

Project ADORA will support the rapid development and deployment of a new ionosonde system in the UK which will be used for ionospheric monitoring to inform space weather decision-making and risk management. Project ADORA will also include the software suite to facilitate remote monitoring and scaling modelling capabilities. This represents the next phase of a previous project to develop and deploy ionosonde technology in the UK which was led by the University of Birmingham.

### Procurement Information

The principal ground is schedule 5(2), prototypes and development. Project ADORA seeks to test the suitability of ionosonde technology for space weather monitoring purposes, satisfying schedule 2(a) ("testing the suitability of the goods or services"). It also seeks to undertake research and development activity by supporting the development of automatic scaling software. This contract shall support development of an initial test licence for application to one sensor, with the intention of scaling to apply to multiple sensors in the future. Further deliverables are associated with additional R&D activity for additional software capabilities, to be added in future years if the initial period is successful. This satisfies schedule 2(c) ("other research, experiment, study or development"). Schedule 5(6) is also met as UKSA are unaware of any alternative suppliers with the technical capacity to undertake this work.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080737-2026 |
| Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 25 Aug 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 10 Aug 2026 |
| Contract period | 14 Sep 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £1,062,498 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Department for Science, Innovation & Technology |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Postcode area | South West London |
| Postcode | SW1A 2EG |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West |
| ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London |
| Local authority | Westminster |
| Electoral ward | St James's |
| Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | The University of Birmingham |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

### Codes

- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

## Release History

- 25 Aug 2026 at 11:00 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080737-2026
- 10 Aug 2026 at 09:31 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/075546-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080737-2026
  25th August 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/075546-2026
  10th August 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/index.aspx
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06dfb2. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06dfb2.json.