the Satellite Applications Catapult
Aiming High with Space
The UK space sector is world class and rapidly growing. Its research
and industry is fundamental to understanding issues such as
climate change and how our planet works, and provides access to
knowledge and understanding which inspires generations of people
and projects to work to unravel the secrets of the Universe.
T
he UK space sector commands a
seven per cent share of the global
space market, and has ambitions
to grow significantly to secure an even
greater stake as the market swells to a
predicted value of £400 billion by 2030.
The space sector in the UK:
• supports almost 68,000 jobs and
CONTACT
Satellite Applications Catapult
Fermi Avenue, Harwell,
Didcot,
OX11 0QR
Stuart Martin
T: +44 (0)1235 567999
E: [email protected]
For media enquiries please contact:
+44 (0)1235 567999
contributes an annual turnover of
over £9 billion
• is second only to the US in the
quality and impact of its basic
science - a major attractor for inward
investment
• enables satellite telecommunications
and broadcasting used in everyday
life
• contributes to our understanding
of climate change through Earth
monitoring and observation satellites
• excites young people and contributes
to the training of the next generation
of scientists and engineers
New Initiative
The Satellite Applications Catapult is
a new initiative, established by the
Technology Strategy Board to support
UK industry and become a worldclass centre for the development and
commercial exploitation of space and
satellite-based products, services and
applications. It is one of a seven-strong
Catapult network of world-leading
technology and innovation centres
of excellence – an initiative strongly
supported by UK government – set up
to help businesses take innovative ideas
through to commercialisation.
During early 2013, the Satellite
Applications Catapult merged with the
International Space Innovation Centre
(ISIC) in Harwell. The new organisation
is building upon ISIC’s significant
achievements, sharing a vision to
become the catalyst for growth in the
space sector.
The Satellite Applications Catapult
brings invaluable resources, including
expertise and new facilities, to enable
the best businesses, researchers and
end-users to work with the Catapult to
develop new satellite-based products,
services and applications.
The merged organisation works with
businesses of all sizes and complexities,
academia and end-users, providing an
accessible collaborative environment
to help realise the UK space sector’s
recognised growth potential. It also
provides a unique European capability
Working together in
partnership
with state-of-the-art facilities,
including the Climate for Environmental
Monitoring from Space (CEMS), an
Operations Centre, Security and
Resilience Unit, and Visualisation Centre.
Harwell – UK home of
international space
collaborations
Harwell is an ideal location as it
offers world class facilities such as
the Diamond Light Source and the
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory,
including its long established space
science and technology department,
RAL Space, the ISIS neutron spallation
source and the Central Laser Facility.
The Harwell Campus is also close to key
institutions such as Oxford University,
the University of London and the Open
University.
Harwell is also home to the European
Space Agency’s (ESA) UK research
facility. This facility focuses on
supporting Europe’s space programme in
several key areas:
• combining images and data from
space satellites to create new types
of commercial applications, such
as automatic life
www.stfc.ac.uk
28/08/2014
saving location services
combining
space data with
•
sophisticated climate models to help
improve weather forecasting
• developing new technologies such as
innovative robotics and novel power
sources needed to explore the Moon,
Mars and beyond
The Russian Space Agency also has
close collaborations with UK space
scientists through its centre for groundbased space infrastructure (TseNki),
following the signing of a Memorandum
of Understanding with STFC which
enhances the capabilities of UK and
Russian space research through the
exchange and co-operation with
centres-of-excellence.
Harwell is also the home of MDA
Orbital Optics which develops low-cost
space cameras and space robotics for
international markets. Originally an STFC
spin-out company, Orbital Optics is now
a subsidiary company of MacDonald
Dettwiler and Associates Ltd (MDA) of
Canada.
The Satellite Applications Catapult
provides its own facilities in Harwell,
as well as access to other facilities
nationwide. The Harwell facilities
include end-to-end satellite control
capabilities, data exploitation and
visualisation, allowing businesses,
universities, government and spacerelated organisations to work together
with the wider UK science and
engineering communities. It offers
an operations facility, a security and
resilience unit and a concurrent design
facility which supports the analysis and
design of new space systems.
The high-tech space community on
the campus will also be strengthened
by a space Business Incubator Centre
(BIC). A partnership between ESA and
the STFC’s technology transfer office
STFC Innovations Ltd, ESA BIC Harwell
provides up to 10 start-up companies
per year with a unique intensive package
of services and support in a high-tech,
open innovation environment. Through
ESA BIC Harwell, these entrepreneurs
can access and use space technologies
and know-how to develop innovative
new products and services in non-space
fields.
By linking regional, national and
international partners, the Satellite
Applications Catapult creates a strong,
innovative and dynamic community that
will promote innovation and enable a
more cost-effective way for delivering
commercial technologies, applications
and services.