New space labs will help small tech firms grow

1 day ago

Sam Read,Hertfordshireand

Janine Machin,in Stevenage

News image — Kata Escott, managing director at Airbus Defence and Space UK, says the sector is "really important for the country"

Janine Machin/BBC This is a head and shoulders picture of Kata Escott. She is in the centre of the frame, smiling and looking at the camera. Behind her is a satellite image of the earth from space at night, with lights visible on the land masses. An image of a satellite can also be seen on the wall behind her. — Kata Escott, managing director at Airbus Defence and Space UK, says the sector is "really important for the country"

New laboratories and testing facilities to be offered free of charge to UK businesses who work in the space industry will "break down barriers", the company behind the project has said.

The Airbus Launchpad has been opened by the global manufacturer at its base in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.

More than 50 people from small and medium-sized businesses and research organisations can use the site for development work after a £3.9m investment by the UK Space Agency, which was matched by Airbus.

Kata Escott, the company's UK managing director for defence and space, said the sector was important for the economy but "we can't rest on our laurels, we need to keep innovating".

Escott said the industry was "essential" for AI, robotics and defence which were "really important for productivity".

"Space is so important for the country and everyday lives. It is driving economic growth and creating brilliant jobs across this area and across the country," she said.

Janine Machin/BBC The picture shows a conference room with dozens of people sitting in chairs looking to the front of the room. Five people are in chairs looking at the audience with two large screens behind them on a white wall. The screens have a partial photograph of the earth from space on them with pictures in circles laid across the background image. The photo of the room is taken from outside, and so a large glass window and door are in the foreground of the image. — More than 50 people at a time from different companies will be able to use the facilities

Applied Atomics, which is based in London and Oxford, is one of three firms that will initially have temporary use of the campus.

It says it has developed a new system to move around in space by allowing the user to switch between electric or chemical propulsion.

Founder Ashley Modeste Johnson said using the new facilities "means a huge amount".

"To being able to work really closely with [Airbus], really understand all of their needs a bit more in detail and close knit, will allow us to really advance in the commercial front," he said.

"Space is risky. You really want to be able to mitigate a lot of those risks when you are developing an innovative solution."

Janine Machin/BBC This is an external picture of a large grey building with two lines of windows with a large "AIRBUS" sign at the top. To the left of the picture four large national flags can be seen. In front of the building is a line of bollards and one person can be seen walking. Behind the building is a grey overcast sky. — Airbus is the biggest space company in the UK and currently employs about 1,100 people in Stevenage

Government funding was announced in 2023 with the aim of supporting the space industry to create new jobs.

The space sector is estimated to be worth £18.6bn to the UK economy.

Dr Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency, said: "By giving start-ups and smaller businesses direct access to world-class facilities and expertise, we're helping turn brilliant ideas into the products and services of tomorrow."

The investment would "help develop homegrown skills, diversify the supply chain, and create new space capabilities for the UK," he added.

Janine Machin/BBC A head and shoulders photo of Kevin Bonavia who is smiling and looking at the camera. Behind him the background is blurred and out of focus. It appears to be some sort of science laboratory or equipment behind him. — Kevin Bonavia MP described Stevenage as being "at the heart of the UK's space ecosystem"

The Labour MP for Stevenage, Kevin Bonavia, said the facilities would allow talented workers for "well beyond" the town to come and work there.

"It is a town of aspiration," he said.

"It is a town that wants to reach for the stars, sometimes literally."

He said the sector was critical for the defence of the UK and to be "credible", a space industry was "essential for our country's future defence capability".

"Our allies and our adversaries are using space more and more so this country needs to have its sovereign capability in space," he added.

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