As we look to the future and the delivery of the ambition contained in the UK’s National Space Strategy, it is worth reflecting on the last two years in the UK space sector and how Harwell Space Cluster has fared through the global pandemic.
Space missions take many years and multiple partners from across the globe, so the successful launch of the much-awaited James Webb Space Telescope at the end of 2021 was a fantastic Christmas present for many. The telescope will observe some of the oldest and most distant objects and events in the Universe. It is amazing to think how far the telescope’s Mid Infra-Red Instrument (MIRI) has travelled since it was here at STFC’s RAL Space for testing. We will be following new missions, including those where RAL Space is closely involved like Ariel, just as closely.
These international space science missions have laid the groundwork for a thriving space industry, which is showing no sign of slowing down as we enter 2022. A brief glance across the national press and you will find articles relating to the commercialisation of the industry, the benefits of space data and the need for space sustainability. At Harwell Space Cluster we have announced companies such as MDA, Deimos and GMV NSL taking new facilities to support their growing businesses.
As space plays such a pivotal role in our daily lives and is a vital part of the UK economy, worth over £16 billion per year, it is no surprise that companies like these are growing. Monitoring and understanding our world from space is helping us to tackle key issues such as climate change. Companies based at Harwell Campus like Rezatec are combining AI analytics with satellite imagery to monitor deforestation, Astroscale is at the forefront of improving space sustainability by removing defunct satellites and organisations such as Darwin are using 5G and satellites to demonstrate the future of transport with connected autonomous vehicles. This area of activity will pick up as ESA’s new 5G/6G Hub at the European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT) offers businesses the opportunity to collaborate, innovate and commercialise next-generation connectivity solutions.
The Harwell Space Cluster forms an integral part of the UK’s space sector, including being the front door for international customers, collaborators and inward investors to engage with expertise and capability from across the UK space sector. At the end of 2021, Harwell Space Cluster included 100 space related organisations, which collectively employ 1,400 people (up from 1,100 at the end of 2019). It is Europe’s most concentrated space cluster with a dynamic range of commercial organisations working alongside stakeholders such as the European Space Agency, UK Space Agency, the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s RAL Space and the Satellite Applications Catapult. Later this year the existing space related test facilities available at Harwell Campus will be complemented by RAL Space’s new National Satellite Test Facility, enabling companies to rapidly progress their business goals and deliver on substantial contracts.
By driving world-leading space research and technology, and spotting valuable commercial opportunities, the cluster is opening doors to the next generation of space discovery and satellite innovations. In my role as Harwell’s Space Cluster Development Manager, I bring together organisations at Harwell and beyond to address opportunities, drive collaboration and promote innovation. Despite Covid, I hosted over 50 visits over the last two years and already this year we have welcomed the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee.
Having a connected and resilient UK space ecosystem is vital to the country achieving the goals set out in the National Space Strategy, including to grow and level up the space sector spreading opportunity and prosperity to all parts of the UK. I am looking forward to spending 2022, engaging internationally, bringing those opportunities to the UK and connecting them to capability and expertise at Harwell Space Cluster and beyond. I can’t wait to see what new success stories and innovations we will achieve in 2022.
