British scientists have launched a crew of microscopic worms to the International Space Station in a pioneering experiment that could help unlock the secrets of long-duration space travel – and support ambitions to reach the Moon and beyond.
The project is a miniature space laboratory designed to study how biological organisms respond to the extreme conditions faced by astronauts. It has been led by the University of Exeter, engineered and built by the University of Leicester at Space Park Leicester, and funded by the UK Space Agency.
It follows the launch of NASA’s Artemis II mission to send four astronauts on a 10‑day journey around the Moon and back ahead of a future mission to return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972. Scientists believe the project could help provide new insights into how biological systems change in space and hence how astronauts can stay fit and healthy while travelling to and from the Moon, as well as during long-term stays following NASA’s plans to build a base there.
The experiment launched on NASA’s Northrop Grumman CRS-24 Mission from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12.41pm BST today heading for the ISS, where it will be mounted on the outside of the station by a robotic arm, so that researchers can conduct tests on dozens of microscopic worms, called C. elegans nematode worms, controlling the equipment remotely from Earth. These worms, which are 1mm in length, are commonly used in scientific research on Earth.
The mission addresses a critical challenge in humanity’s ambitions to explore the Moon and other planets: the harmful effects of extended space travel on human health. Microgravity can cause bone and muscle loss, fluid shift and vision problems, while radiation exposure can lead to genetic damage and increased cancer risk.
Space Minister Liz Lloyd said: “It might sound surprising, but these tiny worms could play a big role in the future of human spaceflight. This remarkable mission – backed by government funding – shows the ingenuity and ambition of UK space science, using a small experiment to tackle one of the biggest challenges of long‑duration space travel: protecting human health.
“As we prepare for a new era of exploration, including future missions to the Moon, research like this will help astronauts stay healthy and return home safely. It’s a great example of how we’re driving innovation to grow the economy and keep the UK at the forefront of future technologies.”
UK scientists are sending microscopic worms to the @Space_Station that could help unlock the future of human space travel. 🪱
The experiment will study how biological organisms respond to microgravity and radiation – critical knowledge ahead of @NASA's Artemis missions. 🌗 pic.twitter.com/S4cKS7eoL2
Dr Tim Etheridge, from the University of Exeter, said: “NASA’s Artemis programme marks a new era of human exploration, with astronauts set to live and work on the Moon for extended periods for the first time.
“To do that safely, we need to understand how the body responds to the extreme conditions of deep space. By studying how these worms survive and adapt in space, we can begin to identify the biological mechanisms that will ultimately help protect astronauts during long-duration missions – and bring us one step closer to humans living on the Moon.”
The experiment will also show that complex biology experiments can be done in space at miniature scale and relatively lower cost. The project builds on an earlier concept funded by the UK Space Agency and has been developed in partnership with the University of Leicester, which designed and built the hardware, and Voyager Space Technologies, which is managing the mission and launch.
The Petri Pod is a self-contained experiment housed in a unit measuring approximately 10x10x30cm and weighing around 3kg. It contains 12 experimental chambers, four of which can be actively imaged using fluorescent and white light imaging capabilities.
Each chamber provides a miniaturised ‘life support’ environment, by maintaining temperature, pressure and a trapped volume of air for organisms to breathe when exposed to the vacuum of space. The specimens receive food and water through an agar carrier.
Initially, the experiment will spend time inside the ISS before being deployed outside on an experimental platform, exposing it to the vacuum and radiation of space along with microgravity for up to 15 weeks.
During the mission, researchers will monitor the worms’ health using fluorescent glowing signals and white light optics, captured via photographic stills and time-lapse video captured with miniature cameras.
The system will collect data on temperature, pressure and accumulated radiation dose, with information relayed to Earth.
Professor Mark Sims, project manager for the Fluorescent Deep Space Petri-Pods project at Leicester, said: “FDSPP is Leicester’s first major microgravity life sciences project, and it has been both an interesting and challenging instrument to design and build. The project builds upon previous work with Tim Etheridge and the University of Exeter.
“Having now delivered the experiment to Voyager Space Technologies, who provide the interface to NASA and its flight on the International Space Station, the project team at Leicester look forward to seeing the first images from orbit.
“We hope this will contribute to our understanding of the microgravity environment, and we’re excited about the potential to further develop the instrument concept in the future.”
A new batch of 23 projects will strengthen international space partnerships, develop national capabilities and boost economic growth, the UK Space Agency announced today
This is the second round of projects from the successful International Bilateral Fund (IBF), representing a £6.5 million boost for UK companies and universities collaborating internationally on space innovation with partners in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, Lithuania, Japan, and the USA.
From autonomous 3D printing and lunar agriculture to orbital threat detection, biotech manufacturing, medical research and deep space radar, these collaborations span life sciences, communications, in-orbit servicing, Earth observation and advanced materials.
They showcase the breadth of expertise across the UK’s vibrant space sector, which employs more than 55,000 people and generates £18.6 billion in annual revenue.
Space Minister Liz Lloyd said: “This £6.5 million boost shows Britain leading the way in space innovation.
“From improving mobile coverage to monitoring Earth’s forests, these 23 projects will create jobs, strengthen partnerships with our allies, and keep the UK at the cutting edge of space technology. It’s an exciting time for our space sector and great news for British businesses reaching for the stars.”
The space funding boost, announced during the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Sydney, demonstrates the UK’s commitment to international partnerships and a wide range of areas where the space sector can contribute to economic growth.
As set out in the Government’s Industrial Strategy, the UK Space Agency is increasing bilateral research & development funding with international allies.
The IBF is a critical mechanism for this, providing targeted support for UK-led international collaborations and building capabilities and partnerships across the global space sector.
Today’s announcement follows the agreement between NASA and the UK Space Agency to develop AI models to support future exploration missions, under the Transatlantic Tech Prosperity Deal, as well as the successful launch of the NASA IMAP mission on 23 September, for which UK scientists contributed a key instrument.
Dr Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said: “These new projects span the full spectrum of UK space expertise, from telecommunications, propulsion and environmental monitoring to cutting-edge technologies that could change how we develop treatments for deadly diseases using microgravity.
“By combining home-grown talent with global expertise, we want to strengthen our capabilities, support growth, and ensure the UK remains at the forefront of space innovation.
“This announcement comes at a pivotal moment in the evolution of the UK Space Agency, ahead of its integration into the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) from 1 April 2026.
“The merger will create a single civil space unit, streamlining strategy, policy, and delivery, building on recent achievements and ensuring the government supports the UK space sector effectively.”
UKspace Executive Director, Colin Baldwin, said: “The UK Space Agency’s International Bilateral Fund is going from strength to strength, providing a stimulus for the UK’s space sector to forge new partnerships with organisations around the globe, covering such a broad range of space interests.
“We are pleased to see so many of UKspace’s members and partners involved in the selected projects, enabling them to bring their world-class expertise to these exciting collaborations.”
Kevin Craven, CEO of ADS, representing businesses in aerospace, defence, security and space, said: Advancements in space technology make our world smaller, our society more innovative and our lives more prosperous.
“We are delighted to see the IBF enabling international partnerships to that end. ADS has worked extensively to champion the UK’s thriving space sector in key strategic markets such as Japan and Lithuania. We look forward to working in close collaboration with government to build on this important work further.”
Call 2 Projects to date
Preparing to launch an Americium Radioisotope Stirling Generator, University of Leicester x NASA Glenn Research Centre x Perpetual Atomics x Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory – £499,000
Advancement of Americium Radioisotope Stirling Generator (Am-RSG) technology towards a near-term flight opportunity, and accelerating commercial, civil and defence applications of the Am-RSG to provide further opportunities and increase the customer base for the technology. This project will establish a strategic UK sovereign capability and help build international partnerships for export and trade.
UK-India-5G-from-orbit, AccelerComm Ltd x Radisys India Ltd (India) – £498,000
The next generation of Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs) is dependent on 5G base stations operating on board satellites. Making this happen in the extreme environment of an orbiting satellite requires technology developed by AccelerCommand Radisys. This project will integrate the latest versions of AccelerComm’s technology into Radisys’s lab in India, providing a valuable resource for joint research and demonstrations to customers and partners around the world.
AquaWatch AUK: Satellite Mission Development for Water Monitoring Innovation, Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) x Pixalytics Ltd x Assimila Ltd x University of Stirling x RAL Space x CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency x Deloitte (Australia) – £479,000
Building on the successes of earlier AquaWatch-AUK projects, this initiative strengthens the UK-Australia Space Bridge, enabling satellite development to address global water quality challenges through innovative Earth Observation technologies. By integrating satellite and in-situ measurements, it creates a scalable monitoring system that improves data access, supports better decision-making, and benefits industries like tourism and agriculture.
Long Baseline Multistatic Radar for Deep Space Domain Awareness, University of Birmingham x Goonhilly Earth Station x University of Manchester x CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency x Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Lincoln Laboratory (USA) – £452,000
This project proposes Long Baseline Multistatic Radar (LBMR), linking powerful transmitters (e.g., Millstone Hill, Kwajalein) with sensitive receivers in the UK and Australia. The system will enable real-time detection and tracking of smaller, distant GEO objects. The project will deliver a live demonstration, a significant step towards validating LBMR as a scalable, low-cost solution for operational Space Domain Awareness.
SLOSH-CAT: Slosh Control Algorithm Testing, Satellite Applications Catapult Ltd x Space Machines x University of Sydney (Australia) – £447,000
SLOSH-Cat explores how liquid fuel moves inside spacecraft and how that movement affects their ability to stay stable and point accurately in space. Using advanced sensors and motion tracking, the team studies how shifting fuel can cause small disturbances. These insights help improve the software that controls spacecraft, making them safer and more precise as Space Machines prepares for its MAITRI mission launch next year.
ARGUS: Autonomous Rendezvous for GEO Utility & Surveillance, Lunasa Ltd x Space Machines Company PTY Ltd (Australia) – £392,000
This project will develop a key technology for an upcoming ISAM mission, integrating Lúnasa’s autonomous StarLogic RPO kit into Space Machines’ commercial GEO inspection satellite, GEO-Viper. The system will be upgraded for the GEO environment, advancing from TRL-5 to TRL-7 to deliver a flight-ready rendezvous, proximity, and operations solution.
RANGER: Relative Autonomous Navigation for GNSS-Enabled Rendezvous, Lunasa Ltd x Infinite Orbits (France) – £367,000
This project aims to advance Lúnasa’s high-precision R-GNSS relative navigation technology from TRL 5 to TRL 7 through integration with Infinite Orbits’ servicing satellite, in preparation for a forthcoming commercial in-orbit servicing mission. The project will encompass hardware-software integration, simulation and performance analysis, as well as testing and qualification for space readiness.
PROJECT BRIDGE, Frontier Space Technologies Ltd x The Exploration Company GmbH (Germany) x Undisclosed US Pharma (USA) – £366,000
This project will design a Cargo Handling System for next-generation space infrastructure, enabling safe, repeatable life sciences research in orbit. By combining UK engineering with real-world pharma input, BRIDGE supports the future of space-based drug development and biomanufacturing, positioning the UK as a leader in microgravity-enabled health innovation and shaping how biological science is done in space after the ISS.
Project MITHRIL: Avionics Integration and Control Demo on the Impulse Mira Platform, Lodestar Space Ltd. x University College London x Impulse Space (USA) – £363,000
This project integrates Lodestar’s MITHRIL onto the Mira spacecraft and develops formation flying techniques to enable responsive Space Domain Awareness (SDA) for UK and US dual-use needs. It culminates in a real-time hardware-in-the-loop validation campaign, de-risking the 2027 orbital launch while strengthening international collaboration and UK SDA capability.
UK detector technology for NASA high-resolution imaging of the Moon and Mars, Open University x BAE Space Mission Systems x University of Arizona (USA) – £362,000
This project will design a TDI rolling scene simulator and conduct radiation testing of the CIS125 detector at Moon/Mars mission representative doses to advance the UK-developed CIS125 ‘CCD in CMOS’ detector for future high-resolution imaging missions to the Moon, Mars, and Earth. This international collaboration builds on strong US-UK partnerships and aims to lay the foundation for HiRISE2, a next-generation imaging instrument delivering a world-leading resolution for planetary science, commercial, and defence applications.
In-Orbit Distributed Additive Manufacturing with Manufacturability Intelligence (IN-DAMMI), Autonomous Manufacturing Ltd x Photocentric, APWorks GMBH (Germany) – £330,000
A UK-Germany collaboration that will connect space-ready 3D printers to Earth-based control software, allowing engineers to remotely manufacture parts in orbit. It will also use AI to identify which spacecraft components are suitable for in-space production. By reducing reliance on Earth-based supply chains, this innovation will lower launch costs, increase mission flexibility, and strengthen the UK’s position in space manufacturing.
Cosmic Maker II: International Demonstration of Autonomous Multi-Material 3D Printing in Microgravity, Photocentric Ltd x Voyager Space Nanoracks (USA/Italy) x Novaspace (Germany) – £299,000
Cosmic Maker II will demonstrate autonomous 3D printing in space-like conditions using advanced ceramic and polymer materials. Building on the success of the ESA- and BSGN-supported Cosmic Maker I, this next phase will validate the system during real microgravity through a parabolic flight campaign. The 3D printing platform designed to enable in-orbit manufacturing of tools, components, and research parts for the International Space Station and future platforms like Starlab.
BioPTSS: Biofeedback Integrated Personalised Tourniquet System For Spaceflight, Northumbria University x Western Clinical Engineering Group x Delfi Medical Innovations Inc. x Canadian Space Agency x European Space Agency x NASA (Canada, Germany, USA) – £287,000
This project aims to improve astronaut health on missions beyond low Earth orbit by developing and optimising blood flow restriction exercise (BFRE) with the associated Personalised Tourniquet System for Spaceflight (PTSS). Building on the recent SpaceX launch evaluating BFRE in orbit, it will integrate biofeedback technology into space-qualified PTSS hardware for real-time monitoring and optimisation of the exercise stimulus.
ISAM Biotech Pilot Project: Advancing Type 1 Diabetes Solutions in a New Commercial Space Incubator, Kayser Space Limited x Kings College London x COMAT (France) – £252,000
This project will develop a commercial platform to support biotech research and in-orbit manufacturing in microgravity, demonstrating vascularised tissue growth in a relevant environment. It will also mature the business case for future Low Earth Orbit customers, creating a scalable asset for drug development, organoids, and tissue engineering beyond the ISS.
Beam-Steering Conformal Antenna Array Integrated with Flexible LoRa Electronics for Lightweight Satellite Communication, University of Leeds x University of New South Wales (UNSW) (Australia) – £150,000
This project will create a lightweight, curved satellite communication system by integrating a printed beam-steering antenna with a flexible long-range wireless circuit on a carbon fibre structure. The prototype will demonstrate low power use, reduced weight, and improved reliability for next-generation nano/pico-satellites and mobile platforms, paving the way for more agile and cost-effective space missions.
ETV Phase 1 – Preliminary Design Review of the Economical Transfer Vehicle, Meridian Space Command x Alpha Impulsion (France) – £150,000
This project will advance the development of the Economical Transfer Vehicle (ETV), the world’s first “self-eating” spacecraft. he ETV is a next-generation logistics and payload-hosting spacecraft powered by an autophage engine that actively consumes its own structural tank during flight. Designed for high delta-V missions, it will transport payloads across Earth orbits and beyond, supporting future in-orbit servicing, infrastructure, and deep space logistics.
QUIVER – Derisking High-Rate Intersatellite Links for Realtime Collaborative Constellations, Open Cosmos Ltd x Panasonic Operational Excellence Co. (Japan) – £147,000
This project will explore higher-frequency, high-bandwidth radio links to enable satellites to work together for faster, more comprehensive monitoring and data collection. It will combine the advantages of radio and optical links while avoiding some of their limitations. A key focus will be designing a suitable antenna and developing tools to analyse and optimise constellation operations.
Project Oracle of Nyx: Onboard Threat Characterisation for Dual-Use Applications for Nyx, Lodestar Space Ltd. x The Exploration Company GmbH (Germany) – £135,000
Project Oracle of Nyx will pioneer new approaches to Space Domain Awareness (SDA) through the development of a dual-use sensor suite to detect and characterise orbital threats. Lodestar’s sensor suite will be designed to interface with TEC’s Nyx spacecraft, laying the groundwork for future missions to the ISS.
Flora Fidelity: Advancing Hyperspectral Forestry Monitoring Through UK-Canada Space Collaboration, Gentian (UK) x Bullfinch Earth (Canada) – £127,000
A UK–Canadian collaboration applying Earth Observation, wearable sensors and AI technologies to solve long-standing challenges in forest monitoring: the lack of efficient forest surveys combining below-crown and above-crown forest data and the difficulty in obtaining accurate, low-cost, precisely-located ecological data for training satellite-based models.
IGNITE – Innovative GaN-based Wireless Transmission for Space Energy, Bumblebee x MDA Space (Canada) – £127,000
This project will create a proof-of-concept high-frequency Inductive Wireless Power Transfer (IWPT) system that replaces failure-prone mechanical connectors on lunar rovers, robotic arms and payload interfaces. The system has the potential to significantly extend the service life of this equipment which will increase scientific knowledge and reduce mission costs.
Physical Emulator Interface for Scalable Microgravity-R&D Modules for Quantum and Advanced Materials, Elethron x Atmos Space Cargo GmbH (Germany) – £127,000
Elethron is developing an integrated solution comprising powerful computational engines and autonomous, space-based advanced materials fabrication laboratories designed to integrate with the emerging free-flyer supply chain.
Astro-SANITAS (Stable Anti-Necrotic for In-space Tissue Augmentation and Survival): Halting Aging and Safeguarding Life in Space, LinkGevity x Delta Biosciences (Lithuania) – £120,000
A groundbreaking pharmaceutical that blocks tissue degeneration and halts aging -poised to redefine human resilience under extreme stress. Astro-SANITAS is advancing a world-first technology to protect astronaut cells from death, enable in-orbit tissue manufacturing, and unlock transformative health applications on Earth.
RootSpace: A UK–Canada Innovation Incubator for Space Biosystems and Climate-Resilient Agriculture, Take Root Bio Limited x University of Guelph (Canada) – £99,000
A UK–Canada collaboration exploring how space farming technologies could support future human missions and sustainable food systems on Earth. The project will deliver a prototype digital twin of a Martian biosphere, expand a Lunar Crop Catalogue of resilient plants, and design an incubator to accelerate startups, linking space science with climate-resilient agriculture.
The UK Space Agency’s Space for Everyone tour reached more than 160,000 young people on its 5-month journey around the UK
The STEAM tour, which featured a 72-feet replica rocket, visited 13 cities across all 4 nations of the UK between June – October this year, on its mission to inspire the next generation of space professionals.
The tour showcased the pivotal role of space in enhancing life on Earth and highlighted the diverse career pathways available in the sector to young people from all backgrounds and skill sets.
In total, the tour covered 2,684 miles, the same distance as 5 return trips to the International Space Station.
Visitors had the opportunity to experience interactive exhibits, hear from experts, and learn about the career opportunities available in the UK space sector from partners including the World Wide Fund for Nature, Orbex, Skyrora and AmbaSat.
Besides individual participants, Space for Everyone also welcomed 130 school, youth, and community organisations, offering them specially guided tours, further enriching their educational experiences and knowledge of the UK’s spaceflight sector.
Following the Space for Everyone tour, the UK Space Agency’s iconic 72-feet replica rocket will now go on loan to Spaceport Cornwall where it will continue to inspire future generations about space as part of a free space-based exhibition.
Matt Archer, UK Space Agency Director of Launch, said: “We’re working hard to encourage diversity and inspire young people from all backgrounds and skill sets to ensure the UK space sector remains vibrant, innovative, and above all successful in achieving our goal for the UK to be the leading provider of launch in Europe by 2030.
“Our Space for Everyone tour has achieved phenomenal success, engaging over 160,000 young people about the exciting opportunities in the UK’s fast-growing space sector and highlighting the wide variety of opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds and skill sets.”
As part of the tour, Imperial College London joined forces with the UK Space Agency to build upon their recently launched website, I’m a Space Person, which highlights the range of careers in the space industry. Here, visitors can also download a range of free space-based education resources and career tips as well as an online version of the tour.
Dr Simon Foster, Outreach Officer and Teacher, Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, said: “We have been delighted to collaborate with the UK Space Agency on their Space for Everyone tour website.
“The space sector is a huge part of the UK economy and giving young people an understanding of the diverse range of careers on offer and how to access them is vital to ensure that we have a healthy talent pipeline”.
For further information about the Space for Everyone tour and to watch the online broadcast, please visit the tour website or follow @spacegovuk on social media.
A European mission to explore how gravity, dark energy and dark matter has shaped the Universe has launched following £37 million UK Space Agency funding.
The Euclid space telescope will map the “dark Universe” by observing billions of galaxies out to 10 billion lightyears, across more than a third of the sky, to gather data on how its structure has formed over its cosmic history.
Led by the European Space Agency (ESA) and a consortium of 2,000 scientists across 16 countries, Euclid will spend six years venturing through space with two scientific instruments: a UK-built visible imager (VIS) that will become one of the largest cameras ever sent into space, and a near infrared spectrometer and photometer, developed in France.
Secretary of State for Science and Technology Chloe Smith said: “The launch of the Euclid mission is a truly significant moment. Backed by £37 million in UK funding and supported by our remarkable scientific talent and expertise, the mission will launch one of the largest cameras ever into space to look out across our universe.
“The mission will gain unparalleled insight into the mysteries of how the Universe was formed, delivering ground-breaking discoveries that will redefine what we know about space.”
Dr Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said: “Watching the launch of Euclid, I feel inspired by the years of hard work from thousands of people that go into space science missions, and the fundamental importance of discovery – how we set out to understand and explore the Universe.
“The UK Space Agency’s £37 million investment in Euclid has supported world-class science on this journey, from the development of the ground segment to the build of the crucial visible imager instrument, which will help humanity begin to uncover the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy.”
The Euclid spacecraft being loaded into the SpaceX Falcon 9 fairing ahead of launch, on 27 June 2023. Credit: SpaceX.
Euclid took off on board a SpaceX spacecraft from Cape Canaveral in Florida at 4.12pm (BST) on 1 July.
The UK Space Agency’s funding goes back to 2010, up to 2024, and is divided between teams at University College London, The Open University, University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh, University of Oxford, University of Portsmouth and Durham University.
All these institutions have contributed to the development and implementation of the Euclid UK Science Ground Segment (UKSGS), which runs the Euclid data analysis. Led by the University of Edinburgh, which hosts Euclid’s UK Science Data Centre (SDC-UK), the UKSGS will process hundreds of petabytes of data over the next six years to produce maps of the galaxies and dark matter of the Universe.
The wider Euclid Consortium includes experts from 300 organisations across 13 European countries, the US, Canada and Japan.
The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) also contributed to design and development work on Euclid instrumentation and provided funding to UK astronomy teams who will analyse the data returned from the mission, including studies on the physics responsible for the observed accelerated expansion of the Universe.
Executive Chair at STFC Professor Mark Thomson said: “Euclid will answer some of the biggest and most profound questions we have about the Universe and dark energy. Congratulations to everyone involved in the design, construction and launch of Euclid – we are opening a new window on the cosmos.
“This is a fantastic example of close collaboration between scientists, engineers, technicians, and astronomers across Europe working together to tackle some of the biggest questions in science.”
Research funded by the UK Space Agency
University College London (MSSL and P&A) – Design, build and testing of Euclid’s VIS optical camera (£20.5 million)
UCL researchers have led on designing, building and testing the VIS optical camera, one of Euclid’s two instruments, working with teams at Open University as well as in France, Italy and Switzerland.
The core electronics for the instrument, including its complex array of 36 CCDs (that convert photons into electrons), were built at UCL’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory.
The camera, one of the largest ever sent into space, will take high resolution, panoramic images of a large swathe of the Universe, going back 10 billion years and covering a third of the night sky.
Professor Benjamin Joachimi (UCL Physics & Astronomy) is also playing a key role in the ground-based part of the mission (the ground segment), converting Euclid’s raw data into statistical summaries that can be compared to our current theoretical models of the universe.
Professor Mark Cropper, leader of the VIS camera team at UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory, said: “The VIS instrument will image a large swathe of the distant Universe with almost the fine resolution of the Hubble Space Telescope, observing more of the Universe in one day than Hubble did in 25 years.
“The data will allow us to infer the distribution of dark matter across the Universe more precisely than ever before. The galaxies being imaged are up to 10 billion years old so we will also see how dark matter has evolved over most of the Universe’s history. The Universe on this scale has not yet been seen in this level of detail.”
Professor Tom Kitching, one of four science co-ordinators for Euclid, said: “The puzzles we hope to address are fundamental. Are our models of the Universe correct?
“What is dark energy? Is it vacuum energy – the energy of virtual particles popping in and out of existence in empty space? Is it a new particle field that we didn’t expect? Or it may be Einstein’s theory of gravity that is wrong.
“Whatever the answer, a revolution in physics is almost guaranteed.”
University of Edinburgh (£8.9 million)
Edinburgh has been involved in the design and build of Euclid from its earliest days – leading the Euclid gravitational lensing data analysis, the UK Data Science Analysis and host to the UK’s Euclid Science Data Centre which will process hundreds of petabytes of data throughout the mission.
Professor Andy Taylor, leader of the gravitational lensing analysis for Euclid, the UK’s Euclid Science Data Analysis and SDC-UK, said: “This is a very exciting time for astronomy, and cosmology in particular.
“Euclid is designed to answer some of the biggest questions we have about the Universe. It has been a lot of hard work by many scientists to get here, but the results could change how we understand nature.
Professor Alkistis Pourtsidou, leader of Euclid’s nonlinear modelling team said: “Euclid is going to provide a very large and very detailed 3D map of the Universe, across the sky and along time.
“This map is a remarkable achievement combining state-of-the-art science and engineering. We want to extract the maximum amount of information from it and use it to figure out how nature works at the most fundamental level.
Dr Alex Hall, deputy leader of the gravitational lensing science working group, said: With the launch of Euclid begins an astronomical observing campaign that is amongst the most ambitious ever attempted.
“By imaging over a billion galaxies, Euclid will allow us to make a map of dark matter with unprecedented precision that will answer fundamental questions about our Universe. The next few years are going to be very exciting, and it is a privilege to be part of this incredible project.”
University of Oxford – Developing lensing signal measurement and correction for the effects of telescope and detectors on the data (£2.1 million)
Oxford’s Department of Physics has played a significant role in the lensing data analysis. As well as contributing to the development of the method used to measure the lensing signal, the team have specialised in correcting for the effects that the telescope and imaging detectors have on the data.
No telescope system is perfect – there is always some blurring and distortion of the images – and Oxford’s role has been not only to build the software models but also to devise ways of calibrating those models using dedicated in-orbit data from Euclid. These are crucial steps that allow the lensing measurements to be used to explore the dark side of our Universe.
Professor Lance Miller, leader of the work at the University of Oxford, said: “This is an incredibly exciting time.
“This space mission is the result of years of work and for us here in Oxford, that work continues as we put the finishing touches to the software that will be analysing some of the first Euclid data sent back to Earth, from August onwards.
“I have been working on Euclid since its inception, so to have reached this major milestone today is extraordinary. It is fantastic to be part of a mission that could play a fundamental role in our understanding of the Universe.
University of Portsmouth – Writing code for data analysis (£1.8 million)
The University of Portsmouth’s team, led by Ernest Rutherford Fellow, Dr Seshadri Nadathur, has been working with the wider European team, writing code that will help analyse data from the spacecraft.
Dr Seshadri Nadathur, from Portsmouth’s Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, said: “Galaxies are not randomly scattered around the sky – instead there are patterns in their positions that are relics of correlations created at the time of the Big Bang, shaped over billions of years by the interplay of gravity pulling galaxies together and the expansion of the Universe driving them apart.
“By measuring and understanding these patterns in the maps Euclid will provide, we will learn about the mysterious force of dark energy that seems to be driving the Universe to expand ever faster.
“The team at Portsmouth has been busy developing and testing software that builds the maps and allows them to correct for any spurious patterns in the galaxy positions that arise purely due to variations in the performance of the telescope and instruments, so that we can isolate the true cosmological patterns we are interested in.”
Durham University – Building Euclid tolerance to radiation and supercomputer mock data (£1.3 million)
Professor Richard Massey, of Durham University’s Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy/Institute for Computational Cosmology, is a founder of the Euclid mission and has been developing its design and science goals for 20 years.
Work from a team of international researchers has included making Euclid’s camera more tolerant to the high radiation environment in which it will need to survive above the Earth’s atmosphere, learning from our experience with the Hubble Space Telescope.
As well as leading on Euclid’s radiation monitoring and mitigation strategy, Durham has used supercomputer simulation capabilities to create mock data to train Euclid’s analysis software, which will be compared against the spacecraft’s real observations.
Professor Richard Massey said: “When exploring any wild new frontier, the first step is to map the land. Euclid will make the largest ever map (with a tiny ‘you are here’ at the centre) and will show the invisible Universe.
“By revealing where dark matter and dark energy hide, we hope to take the second step – to discover what they are and trigger a gold rush of new science about how they behave.
“Euclid is like the Hubble Space Telescope, but with a wide-angle view. It will let astronomers stand back and see the sweeping vista of the Universe – but with the same high-resolution detail.
“Exploring and mapping new frontiers is the most human thing possible. Helping shape our next look into the dark has been a privilege.
“It has taken 20 years to make Euclid’s technology possible, engineer its details, and navigate the politics of competing against other proposed missions that would all discover amazing things. That rocket carries the sense of exploration and lifetimes’ work of thousands of scientists and engineers.”
The Open University – Developing and testing VIS detectors (£1.2 million)
The Open University’s Centre for Electronic Imaging (CEI) has been involved in developing the detectors for the VIS instrument and testing how they will perform in the harsh radiation environment in space.
The team will continue to monitor the detectors during the mission, to help mitigate the effects of the damage caused by high energy particles outside the Earth’s protective atmosphere, allowing Euclid to return the best possible science for the mission lifetime.
Dr Jesper Skottfelt, CEI Fellow at The Open University, said: “After 15 years of CEI involvement in the Euclid mission, it is exciting to see the spacecraft being launched.
“Our study of the VIS detectors has led to the development of new techniques to correct the effects of radiation damage which will enhance science return for this and future space missions.
“We look forward to seeing the progress Euclid will deliver towards answering some of the most fundamental questions we have about our Universe.
University of Cambridge – Developing astrometric calibration pipeline for Euclid image data (£870,000)
The University of Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy (IoA) team has been involved in Euclid since 2010, supporting development of the astrometric calibration pipeline for the optical image data from Euclid, ensuring that the positions of the billions of sources to be imaged by Euclid can be determined to exquisite accuracy.
Nicholas Walton, leader of the IoA Euclid team and a Director of Research at the University of Cambridge, said: Dark energy and dark matter fundamentally govern the formation and evolution of our Universe.
“The Euclid mission will finally uncover the mysteries of how these ‘dark’ forces have shaped the cosmos that we see today, from life here on Earth, to our Sun, our Milky Way, our nearby galaxy neighbours, and the wider Universe beyond.”
This summer, an out-of-this-world experience is set to tour 10 locations across the UK, exciting the next generation about career possibilities within the growing space sector.
The UK Space Agency’s Space for Everyone tour will showcase the role of space in improving life on Earth and highlight the diverse and varied career paths open to young people looking to enter this fast-growing industry – demonstrating how space works for them, and how they can work for space.
The tour will feature a 72 feet replica rocket for young people to learn more about how the UK is launching into space, and also include hands-on experiences to engage and fire up the imagination. Trained hosts and industry experts will be on hand to share more about the role of satellites and the varied careers available in the UK space sector.
British astronaut Tim Peake said:“The Space for Everyone tour will demonstrate the incredible capacity of space to inspire. It took thousands of people to make my mission to the International Space Station possible and there is a huge variety of careers on offer in space right here in the UK.
“I hope this activity sparks an interest in the future generations who will take our space sector to new heights.”
The Space for Everyone tour will visit:
Southampton – West Bargate: 1-5 June
Swansea – Dylan Thomas Square: 22-26 June
Leicester – National Space Centre: 29 June – 3 July
Bradford – Centenary Square: 6-10 July
Belfast – Cathedral Gardens: 20-24 July
Aberdeen – Queens Links: 3-7 August
Newcastle – Times Square: 10-14 August
Hull – Queen Victoria Square: 17-21 August
Great Yarmouth – Sea Life Gardens: 24-28 August
Hastings – Hastings Pier: 31 August – 4 September
Ian Annett, Deputy CEO at the UK Space Agency, said:“Our Space For Everyone tour is an exciting opportunity for our next generation to see first-hand what it is really like to work in the space sector and to learn about careers in this growing and exciting industry.
“The space sector requires various skills – many not traditionally associated with it – and champions inclusivity and the need for innovation. You don’t have to be a rocket, as there are a host of skills and talents needed to bring space closer to our daily lives and improve our understanding of this critical part of the environment for the benefit of the planet and its people.”
Aside from inspiring the next generation, this tour is about highlighting the opportunities within the space industry for people of all backgrounds; championing inclusivity and the need for innovation. The roadshow is free and open to all ages, and the hope is that it will ignite a passion for science, technology, engineering, and maths in everyone who attends.
Find out more about the Space for Everyone: Rocket Roadshow on the website or follow UK Space Agency on social media.
The mission will study Jupiter’s moons for potential habitability for life
The Jupiter icy moons mission (JUICE) has taken off on its journey to study Jupiter, our largest planet, and investigate whether some of its icy moons are home to conditions that could support life.
Funded by the UK Space Agency, the UK leads on one of the 10 science instruments on board the European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) and has contributed to the development of two more.
Blasting off from Kourou in French Guiana at 1:14pm BST on Friday 14 April, JUICE will spend eight years travelling to the Jupiter system. On the way, it will perform fly-bys of Earth and Venus, using the gravitational fields of the planets to generate enough speed to reach Jupiter. One of these will be the first ever lunar-Earth gravity assist manoeuvre.
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Michelle Donelan, said: “The UK Space Agency has invested around £9 million in the JUICE mission to explore Jupiter and its moons. UK tech on the spacecraft illustrates how our world class universities and research institutions are unlocking deep space exploration.
“I want the UK’s space sector to continue thriving and encourage STEM learning for the next generation. It’s important that we push the boundaries of science, innovation and technology across the country to support the jobs of the future.”
On arrival in 2031, JUICE will circle Jupiter and fly past moons Ganymede, Europa and Callisto, making observations and taking measurements, studying the Jovian system as an archetype for gas giants elsewhere in the universe.
Finally in December 2034, JUICE will transfer into orbit around Ganymede, becoming the first spacecraft ever to orbit a moon other than Earth’s. While up close and personal with Ganymede, the mission will investigate the giant ocean that scientists believe hides under its icy crust, seeking evidence of habitability.
Dr Caroline Harper, Head of Space Science at the UK Space Agency, said: “The launch of JUICE marks years of hard work and collaboration by scientists, engineers and space agencies all over the world, but the journey is far from over.
“We look forward to following the spacecraft as it makes its eight-year trip to Jupiter and then as it studies the planet and its moons, using specialised UK-developed science instruments.
“We have a large community of research experts in the UK who are eagerly awaiting the data that JUICE will provide. With this information we hope to discover more about the nature of gas giants in space, and their icy moons, bringing us another step closer to understanding the evolution of the Universe.”
JUICE lifting off. Credit: ESA – M. Pédoussaut
The UK Space Agency invested £9 million into the JUICE science payload, by supporting three critical instruments on board, which are:
J-MAG (UK-led magnetometer) – Development led by Imperial College London with radiation-hardness and mechanical design contributed by the University of Leicester.
JANUS (Italian-led optical camera system) – Imaging sensors developed by Teledyne-e2v in the UK, then tested, calibrated and characterised by Open University.
PEP (Swedish-led particle environment package) – Solid-state detectors provided by University College London and radiation design for instrument suite contributed by Aberystwyth University.
Principal Investigator for the J-MAG instrument at Imperial College London, Professor Michele Dougherty, has been involved in JUICE since well before it was selected by ESA in 2014 as the first Large Class mission in its Cosmic Vision Science Programme.
Professor Michele Dougherty, Head of the Department of Physics at Imperial College London, said: “With our instrument’s measurements, we are almost looking inside these worlds.
“What we’re doing, however, is extremely difficult, as the signals we’re trying to detect are extremely small. It’s like trying to find lots of needles in a haystack, and those needles are changing shape and colour all the time. But we think the results are going to be spectacular.
“Space missions are long and slow, so launch only marks the halfway point of this one – because we first started thinking about it 15 years ago, and we’ll be getting the last data in 15 years’ time. But I can’t wait for launch to happen because that’s the next milestone for us – we’ll be on our way to Jupiter.
JUICE is a collaboration between ESA, NASA and the space agencies of Japan and Israel and will consider two key themes from ESA’s Cosmic Vision 2015 – 2025: What are the conditions for planet formation and the emergence of life? And how does the Solar System work?
After taking off on an Ariane 5 launch vehicle from Kourou in French Guiana it is expected to arrive at Jupiter in July 2031 and complete 35 icy moon flybys before arriving at Ganymede – the largest of Jupiter’s moons – by December 2034.
JUICE will spend its eight-year voyage productively; it will pass by Venus to test and calibrate its instruments, gather data and take advantage of the gravity assist to save on fuel. Meanwhile, scientists on the ground will work on finalising software and data modelling in time for arrival at Jupiter.
Chiaki Crews, Research Fellow at the Open University, said: “The JUICE mission aims to answer many exciting questions, including whether the ocean worlds beneath the surfaces of Jupiter’s icy moons could potentially harbour life. One of the many instruments needed to make detailed scientific observations to help answer such questions is a camera.
“Our team at the Open University has spent several years testing and optimising a new image sensor for JUICE’s scientific camera, JANUS. A large part of our work was to irradiate test sensors with high doses of radiation, just like it is expected to experience during the JUICE mission lifetime, to check that JANUS will still be able to take images without too much degradation.
“We are now very much looking forward to watching the launch, albeit we’ll have to wait patiently for several more years before we’ll see the first images sent back from Jupiter’s moons.”
Professor Geraint Jones at University College London’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory, said: “It’s fantastic to see JUICE, carrying the PEP instrument that we contributed to, nearing its launch. We look forward to seeing data from our sensors on the ‘soup’ of ions, electrons and atoms surrounding Jupiter and its moons.
“This data will help us, for instance, to understand how particles around Jupiter reach such high energies – energies that could be fatal for an astronaut. We are excited that the mission will shed new light on worlds that could potentially host life.”
Professor Emma Bunce, Director of the Institute for Space at the University of Leicester, said: “The JUICE mission represents the next logical step in our exploration of potentially habitable worlds in the outer solar system. The JUICE spacecraft will do that via multiple flybys of Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, and eventually from a dedicated orbit at Ganymede towards the end of the mission.
“After many years of hard work from science, engineering, and industry teams, we are so excited that the JUICE mission is finally ready to launch and start its long journey to the Jupiter system. We will patiently await the incredible data that we expect to receive from 2031, and we are confident that it will absolutely be worth the wait!”
Professor Manuel Grande, Head of Solar System Physics at Aberystwyth University’s Department of Physics, said: “The major challenge when visiting the icy moons of Jupiter, in particular Europa, is the extreme radiation environment which would interfere with the spacecraft’s instrumentation and swamp any readings.
“The innovative design of the shielding, which was pioneered at Aberystwyth, makes it possible to avoid the effects of radiation on readings and allow for the detection of organic molecules in the neighbourhood of Europa, which is perhaps the most likely site for life in our Solar System after our own Earth.”
Daniel Waller, Vice-President at Teledyne e2v, said: “The launch of JUICE with the JANUS optical camera onboard marks a milestone in this important mission. This is our second complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor sensor from our facility in Chelmsford to fly in space in recent months.
“This sensor will give us sight of both the icy moons and the environment of Jupiter, increasing our understanding of other planets in our solar system.”
A UK-based consortium has been awarded £2.2 million funding to prepare a space debris mission in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
The UK Space Agency has provided the multi-million pound backing to a mission led by innovative start-up, ClearSpace, to retrieve two derelict satellites at an altitude of 700km.
Known as Clearing the LEO Environment with Active Removal (CLEAR), the mission will be a crucial landmark in positioning the UK as an emerging world leader in space sustainability.
The consortium also includes the backing of strategic space communications specialists, AstroAgency, to provide messaging and awareness-raising for the flagship mission for the UK’s burgeoning space sector as the project enters the next phase in technical adequacy.
The Edinburgh-headquartered firm has worked with over forty global space clients to date, including some of the biggest names in commercial space and a host of government agencies, with the CLEAR mission the latest in a list of sustainability focused initiatives for space.
Earlier this month, the firm unveiled the world’s first Sustainable Space Roadmap, commissioned by Scottish Enterprise, setting out work packages for space stakeholders across industry and academia to collaborate around, with a common aim of developing a more environmentally conscious space sector both on the ground and in orbit.
Rory Holmes, ClearSpace UK Managing Director said: “Space is getting more and more congested with defunct satellites, rocket bodies and other fragments – we have to act now to ensure this precious environment remains usable for future generations.
“With the UK Space Agency’s leadership, the UK is now at the forefront of developing the missions and technologies needed to address the challenge of space debris.
“We are excited to start working with Astroagency to raise awareness of the issue of space debris and to highlight the world-leading activities that are being performed in the UK to address it.”
The two disused UK-owned satellites that will be removed from orbit, inactive for more than a decade, have the potential to remain in the most congested part of space – low Earth orbit – for up to 100 years before atmospheric drag would eventually cause the objects to naturally re-enter the atmosphere and burn up.
The danger is that with thousands of satellites to be launched and astronauts inside the International Space Station, leaving old satellites and broken fragments of debris orbiting the planet could have disastrous consequences due to the potential for a collision.
The CLEAR mission aims to provide a crucial step towards protecting the space-based infrastructure such as transport, financial, weather and climate change monitoring systems from rogue debris in one of the most sought-after regions of the Earth’s orbit due to its ideal proximity to our planet.
The UK Space Agency commissioned a study by the ClearSpace-led consortium last October into how a retrieval mission could be carried out, evaluating a number of scenarios and identifying the requirements and resources needed to achieve success.
The preliminary phase was completed in March 2022, and the newly awarded funding will power a detailed design phase which is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.
Dr Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said: “As our reliance on space technologies increases rapidly and the UK becomes a global hub of satellite design, manufacturing and launch, we are committed to leading efforts to make space more sustainable.
“With 1,700 satellites launched last year alone, the need to safeguard the space environment for the benefit of everyone on Earth has never been more pressing.
“By catalysing investment, backing innovative new technologies and supporting a national mission to remove space debris, we can keep space open for future generations and protect the important satellite services that modern life depends on.”
Daniel Smith, Founder of AstroAgency, said: “As a UK headquartered company with a passion and track record for promoting the importance of a more environmentally conscious approach to commercial space activity, we couldn’t be more proud to be part of the CLEAR mission consortium.
“Like so many of our public and private sector clients, AstroAgency is committed to a more sustainable space sector both on Earth and in orbit, and CLEAR’s contribution to clearing space debris and safeguarding operational satellites – that provide so many services we use every day often without realising it – is a vital step towards this goal.”
The CLEAR mission will act as a cornerstone for UK companies aspiring to be at the forefront of the emerging in-orbit services market which is forecasted to reach $14.3 billion in cumulative revenue by 2031. It comes after the UK announced last month its Plan for Space Sustainability to mark out the UK as a front-runner in the emerging sector.
The projects will directly support the creation of 20 new jobs, with further opportunities to increase growth in the wider UK space sector, which already supports 47,000 jobs and generates an income of £16.5 billion each year.
AstroAgency provides space sector organisations and those considering entering the lucrative and fast-growing commercial space market with a unique combination of strategic marketing support, business development, brand building techniques, media coverage, detailed technical knowledge and all-important sector intelligence.
The firm’s impressive client list includes the likes of the UK Space Agency, Australian Government, Scottish Government and local council authorities in Ayrshire, Cornwall, Caithness, Norfolk and Suffolk, along with a growing number of private space companies across the globe working in satellite manufacture, launch and Earth observation data analysis.
The company is comprised of international space specialists who work across the space value chain from satellite manufacture and launch to downstream data analysis. Its international team are all remote based and boast a presence in Edinburgh, London, Cardiff, Milan, Amsterdam and Toulouse.
The first vertical rocket launch from British soil moved a vital step closer this month as Edinburgh’s UK rocket company Skyrora successfully completed the static fire test of the second stage of its flagship Skyrora XL orbital vehicle.
The monumental event, at Discover Space UK at Machrihanish Airbase on the Mull of Kintyre, was the largest integrated stage test in the UK for 50 years, since the days of the Black Arrow and Blue Streak rockets which were cancelled in the seventies without ever going into production.
The test at the Scottish base was made possible as a result of funding received by Skyrora as part of the European Space Agency’s Commercial Space Transportation Programme as well as support from the UK Space Agency,
It involved hot firing the second stage engine of Skyrora XL to prove the vehicle’s operational capability for its intended payloads and to ensure that its performance met all the design requirements.
The test was successfully completed with all systems nominal throughout the 20-second burn and the single 70kN liquid engine operated within its design margins and achieved the expected thrust which will carry it into space.
The latest achievement moves the company another step towards commercial operation, and its inaugural orbital launch is now scheduled for 2023 from the SaxaVord Space Centre on Unst, the most northerly of the Shetland Islands.
Volodymyr Levykin, Founder and CEO of Edinburgh-based Skyrora, said: “With the UK striving to capture a 10% share of the global space market by 2030, the successful Skyrora XL second stage static fire test puts Skyrora on track to become a key part of the UK’s new space industry as the first British company to conduct vertical launch from UK soil.
“Skyrora now has purpose-built rocket manufacturing and testing facilities in the UK – as well as the largest 3D printer of its kind, which we are using to produce rocket engine components.
“We recognise the value that a strong domestic space industry will bring to the UK, and we will continue to spearhead these efforts to make the UK a player to be reckoned with globally.”
The successful test is the latest important stride for Skyrora, following the opening last month of a new manufacturing and production facility, the largest of its kind in the UK, in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, and the recent opening of an engine test facility in Midlothian.
The new facility in Cumbernauld allows the company to concentrate its launch development practices in custom-built domestic facilities, further strengthening Skyrora’s status as the leader in the UK space race.
Colonel Lee Rosen (USAF, Retd.), Skyrora COO and former SpaceX Vice-President,said: “The static fire test looks, sounds and feels a lot like a rocket launch, but without lifting off.
“This hugely successful test was a definitive demonstration of our mobility and flexibility. The Skyrora team went from clean tarmac to a full static fire test in just 2.5 days, bringing all the necessary equipment with them.”
Matt Archer, Director of Commercial Spaceflight at the UK Space Agency, said: “As we soar towards the UK’s first commercial space launches, these achievements showcase our rapidly growing capabilities, and the increasing range of expertise that can make the UK a highly attractive destination for launch activities in Europe.
“We’ll continue to support the development of new launch infrastructure and technology and look forward to following the next steps of Skyrora’s journey to orbit.”
Thilo Kranz, Commercial Space Transportation Programme Manager at the European Space Agency, said: “It has been excellent to witness the successful second stage test for the Skyrora XL launch vehicle.
“This test is also an important step towards ESA’s objective of fostering new commercial European launch services in the near future.”
Andy Grey, Member of the Board at Discover Space UK, said: “Discover Space UK is delighted to host exciting companies such as Skyrora, which are developing new capabilities within the UK’s emerging spaceflight industry, as part of UK ambitions to be a science and technology superpower.
“DSUK wants to see the future of science and industry coming to Machrihanish and benefiting from our fantastic infrastructure and landscape.”
Machrihanish Airbase is a former military base which hosted a US Air Force detachment of strategic bombers during WW2 and was used by RAF and NATO air forces until 1997.
The airstrip at Machrihanish was also a designated emergency landing site during NASA’s space shuttle era.
Event is set to accelerate one of the UK’s fastest growing sectors
A NETWORKING event is calling on space experts in Scotland to share knowledge and expertise with businesses looking to level up within the sector.
The networking event – which will be taking place on June 24th – seeks to strengthen connections between space value chain companies and those interested in the sector’s opportunities in Northern Ireland, as well as facilitating new collaborations for those businesses across the wider UK.
Delivery partners for the event include the UK Space Agency and strategic space marketing firm AstroAgency, which is based in Edinburgh.
The event has been organised by the Space Research and Innovation Network for Technology (known as ‘SPRINT’), while the Electronics, Communications and Information Technology (ECIT) research group at Queen’s University Belfast is hosting the event.
SPRINT provides unprecedented access to the expertise and facilities at top UK space universities to help businesses accelerate the development of their products and services through the commercial exploitation of space data and technologies.
The UK’s space industry is targeting significant growth within the next decade, with the publishing of the National Space Strategy last year specifying an objective to level up the country’s space economy through supporting regional activity across the United Kingdom.
The ‘SPRINT Space Sector Update and Speed Networking Event’ is free to attend and has been shaped to ensure participants leave with knowledge on the latest market updates and a broad understanding of recently launched or upcoming initiatives, including funding support, from several speakers throughout the morning and early afternoon.
After lunch, a tour of the on-site facilities will then be followed by a speed networking session, organised by strategic space guidance firm AstroAgency, allowing participants to maximise their time at the event through quick-fire introductions, ensuring direct collaboration opportunities are presented and new connections forged.
National SPRINT Head of Programme, Dr Rain Irshad, said: “We’re excited about running this event and providing businesses in Northern Ireland with key updates on the sector’s progress, as well as enabling new commercial partnerships to be formed with companies from the rest of the UK in order to support the sector’s growth.
“As the UK moves quickly to achieve its ambitions in becoming a leading space nation, there is a huge role for businesses across the entire country to play that aligns well with the levelling up agenda”.
While the global space economy is projected to grow from an estimated £270 billion in 2019 to £490 billion by 2030, the recently published Size and Health of the UK Space Industry 2021 report highlighted that UK space-related organisations produced £16.5 billion in income in 2019/20.
In terms of employment, space activities supported a total of approximately 190,000 jobs across the value chain, growing 6.7% from 2018/19 and demonstrating the exciting potential of a sector that covers satellite manufacture, launch vehicle and spaceport developments, cutting-edge scientific research and the analysis of data from space to support environmental protection, the economy and society at large.
With further growth projected as more companies move to capture their share in the market via supply chain opportunities and collaborations with universities, the UK space sector represents a huge opportunity for businesses to secure additional revenue streams and new insights to enhance the competitiveness of their commercial offering from a unique, ‘out of this world’ viewpoint.
Chris McQuire, Head of Local Growth at the UK Space Agency, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to forge valuable partnerships in the fast-growing space sector.
“Strengthening connections across the space value chain is a vital part of our mission to catalyse investment, and this event will promote new and exciting opportunities for regional collaboration within Northern Ireland, while extending links between Northern Irish businesses and those in the rest of the UK.”
The SPRINT Space Sector Update and Speed Networking Event will also offer a ‘hybrid’ format, allowing those who cannot join in person to log-in remotely and engage online with participants and speakers from the likes of the Satellite Applications Catapult and industry group ADS.
Registration is free and places at the session can be secured at:
A 12-year-old from Hampshire has been named the winner of Blue Peter’s Awesome Orbit competition to design an emblem that will go on one of the first satellites to launch from the UK this summer.
Bethany Turner, from Alresford, appeared live on Friday’s (20th May) episode of Blue Peter, joining wthe presenters in the studio as her ‘Earth Sitter’ emblem was named the winner. Bethany wants satellites to help in measuring the melting of the polar ice caps and monitoring deforestation, to discover when trees have been felled and where new seedlings need to be planted to prevent global warming.
The programme also featured 2nd place runner up Adam, aged 13 from Lancashire, who designed “The Ace of Space” that could be used to help repair broken satellites, and 3rd place runner up, Ava, aged 7 from Pembrokeshire, whose ecologically focused design “Where Bees Belong” could help search for land that needs more flowers for bees. Adam and Ava will have their names engraved on the satellite, along with 27 runners up.
British ESA astronaut Tim Peake launched the competition, which was supported by the UK Space Agency, in October 2021 to give young people across the UK the opportunity to design an emblem and come up with ideas for how satellites could be used to help people in the future.
Bethany said: “It felt amazing when I found out I had won, I was so shocked I couldn’t believe it. For my design I thought if we could scan the Earth with satellites it could tell people when there’s illegal deforestation and they could go and plant trees. It could also scan the polar icecaps so people can see when they’re melting and try to prevent it.
“I’ve been interested in space for quite a long time and I really enjoy it. I get most of my information from books from the library or books I’ve bought and I definitely want to learn more. I’d definitely be interested in working in the space sector in the future.
“As part of Bethany’s prize, she spent a day with Steve Neaves, Creative Director at Hampshire-based branding and design studio Crux. Steve and his team had worked on Bethany’s original drawing to help create the final emblem that will blast into space. They explained how her design had been redrawn and digitised to enable it to be engraved onto the plaque that will be fixed to the satellite.”
Ian Annett, Deputy CEO at the UK Space Agency, said: “We all use space every day, from watching satellite broadcasts, using a mobile phone, to finding our way around. Data from satellites in space is even used for monitoring the environment and understanding climate change and it’s a big part of new technologies like supporting driverless cars through better connectivity.
“From missions to Mars, to understanding climate change or launching satellites, all this great work relies on more young people joining the space sector in roles such as engineering, law, science and philosophy and the UK Space Agency is working to inspire future generations to consider a career in the space sector. It’s fantastic to see so many people take part in this wonderful competition and our huge congratulations go to Bethany, Adam, Ava and all the runners up.”
ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer congratulated Bethany with a message from the International Space Station, saying: “I heard the brilliant news about you winning the Blue Peter space competition and I thought ‘where could be the best place to congratulate you from, but here in space’. I am currently on my own mission, and I have brought along the Blue Peter badge for the ride!“
Bethany’s emblem will be engraved onto a satellite that will be sent into orbit on the first launch from UK soil from Spaceport Cornwall this summer. As part of her winner’s experience, Bethany will also win a Blue Peter Orange Competition winners’ badge, take control of a Mars Rover at Airbus in Stevenage, experience a trip in a driverless car supported by satellites and get to see behind the scenes at satellite testing facilities at Harwell Space Cluster, in Oxfordshire.
The satellite is a collaboration between the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, and Airbus Defence and Space, and designed and built by In-Space Missions in Alton, Hampshire.
