In a move to support the UK space industry, the government has appointed the team responsible with establishing a Catapult centre for satellite technology and applications.
The Satellite Applications Catapult centre will help UK businesses to develop new satellite-based products and services.
It will be established by a consortium of industry pioneers, including Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), Logica, Astrium GEO-Information Services, Nottingham Scientific Ltd (NSL) and Inmarsat Navigation Ventures Ltd.
The members of the consortium will form a delivery team together with the International Space Innovation Centre (ISIC), trade organisation UKspace and the University of Surrey.
The Technology Strategy Board is the government agency that oversees the establishment of the Catapult. It will support the consortium as it establishes the centre, which is expected to open later in the year.
Iain Gray, chief executive of the Technology Strategy Board, said: “Satellite services are expected to be an important growth area for the UK economy in the next decade and beyond. Worldwide, the space sector is expected to grow to £400bn by 2030.
“The Satellite Applications Catapult will work with the UK Space Agency to achieve targets set out in the UK Space Innovation and Growth Strategy to grow UK market share from 6% to 10% by 2030 and create 100,000 new high value jobs.”
Paul Febvre, project director for the consortium, said: “The UK already has a world-class capability across the space sector, especially in the areas of advanced manufacturing, satellite operations, telecommunications and Earth observation. The new Catapult will ensure that the UK is in a position to consolidate and strengthen its position.”
A number of events throughout the UK in the coming weeks will be used to engage and brief the space community and other interested parties.
Photo by Caroline Davis 2010
