Space West Local Innovators - Chris Isaac
Welcome to Space West Local Innovators, to celebrate World Space Week, we are profiling some of the local space innovators in our region.
Through this series we'll learn about the individuals elevating the West of England's space sector to the next level.
This edition, we're shining the spotlight on Chris Isaac, CEO and Founder of SpaceAM.
How have you and your organisation contributed to innovation within the space sector?
SpaceAM specialises in integrated sensor and probe designs for planetary exploration. We hold a patented atmospheric LEVL probe concept for Venus, giving 80 minutes of sampling time in the Venusian atmosphere, and we deliver SWaP (size, weight and power) optimisation as a service, including an ESA funded optical sensor concept with a five gram launch weight.
Was there a guiding vision you had within the space sector landscape that drove you to develop your technology and services into space?
Our vision is to redefine what is possible in ultra lightweight sensing technologies, delivering a new ecosystem and jobs for the UK. We believe our synergy between hardware, software and AI all developed in-house can enable space exploration, including the search for signs of life beyond Earth.
How has the West’s space ecosystem benefitted your efforts?
As a fast paced scale up based in Gloucestershire, we benefit from the region’s engineering talent, research partners and supportive space community, which help us collaborate, test and grow at pace.
What does the future hold for your innovation, and what impact do you hope it will have?
Our ESA funded optical sensor completes laboratory testing in December 2026, then joins the LEVL probe system for a future Venus mission. We hope it will help answer whether life exists in the Venusian clouds while proving that ultra lightweight UK built instruments can transform planetary science.
