Scotland's space sector aiming for take-off

The event will bring together senior figures from the European Space Agency along with the academic, engineering, and business community to identify new opportunities for Scotland within the global Space sector.

The Space industry in the UK currently contributes around £6 billion a year to the economy, supporting almost 70,000 jobs directly and indirectly across the country. Over the next 20 years, Space activity in the UK is identified as having the potential to grow into a £40 billion industry creating an additional 100,000 jobs and significantly contributing to the UK’s economic recovery.

Scotland is well positioned to secure a share of this growth and is already actively involved in the sector with many Scottish businesses and academics playing leading roles, for example:

• Clyde Space and SELEX Galileo, two companies working together with great success to supply miniaturized technology for satellites to the European Space Agency and other international organizations. The technology provides directional control, helping to collect environmental data on the Earth's sea and land temperatures.

• STAR-Dundee, a global leader in supporting users and developers of the SpaceWire data communication technology. The tool is used on missions by major Space agencies including NASA and the European, Japanese and Chinese Space Agencies for data transfer onboard satellites and spacecraft. STAR-Dundee uses local Scottish electronic manufacturing capability in its range of spacecraft test and development equipment which is exported across the world.

• Scotland's major national technology facility, the UK Astronomy Technology Centre in Edinburgh. The Centre is leading the UK’s £80 million European contribution to the Mid Infrared Imager instrument which will be an integral part of the James Webb Space telescope which will succeed the Hubble on its launch in 2014.

Professor Colin McInnes, Director of the Advanced Space Concepts Laboratory at the University of Strathclyde, said: "The need for new thinking in space technology has never been greater. Advanced space systems will be key to meeting our insatiable demand for better communications, providing detailed information on our climate, and enabling future adventures in science and exploration.

"The Scottish Space sector is well positioned to pioneer the next generation of technologies through its blend of leading research programmes and technology-driven companies. However, it is crucial that universities, businesses and space agencies work together if the sector is to reach its full potential.

Ian McMahon, Head of Aerospace, Defence and Marine at Scottish Enterprise said: “Scotland already makes a significant contribution to UK and European space technology via the research capabilities in our companies and universities and in technology products such as SpaceWire and CubeSat.  In order to maximise the potential opportunities for Scotland in this cutting-edge sector, all the partners must work closely together to raise the profile of the space industry in Scotland, to accelerate research and development activity and to engage even more Scottish companies in the global industry supply chain.”

Senior European Space Agency staff will also be attending the event with a view to developing a better understanding of Scottish capabilities and to establishing links between Scotland and ESA’s new UK Headquarters in Oxfordshire.