Space West Newsletter - August 2026
Welcome
Welcome to the August edition of our Space West Newsletter. With each newsletter, we aim to share the most recent discoveries, advancements, and stories from the world of Space in the South West.
About Space West
The Space West programme is hosted by NCC and is funded by the UK Space Agency. It is supported by founding partners including the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, the Centre for Modelling and Simulation, the University of Bath, the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England. Reinforced by strong endorsement from industry champions, the Space Cluster has provided the momentum for the development of an ambitious and timely regional space strategy.
Space West Networking Event
Bringing together our community is not only an enjoyable evening, but one which aids connections and stimulates meaningful conversation.
Our next networking event will be kindly hosted by Haseltine Lake Kempner, and we will be joined by Science Creates, one of the West’s key incubators supporting deep tech startups.
Whether you're new to the sector or a space stalwart, we would love to invite you to join us – the key details are below:
- Date: Thursday, September 24
- Time: 18:00
- Location: Haseltine Lake Kempner (One Portwall Ln, Redcliffe, Bristol BS1 6BH)
If you would like to come, please register via the button below.
SpaceAM closes seed round, backed by Foresight and with funding from the UK Defence Unicorn Fund
SpaceAM has successfully closed its seed funding round, with investment led by Foresight Group and support from the UK Government's Defence Unicorn Fund. The milestone marks a significant step in the company's rapid growth and reinforces its position as an emerging player in the UK's defence and space technology sector.
The Gloucestershire-based business has gone from strength to strength recently, securing contracts with both the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the European Space Agency (ESA), while also receiving more than £2.5 million in UK Government defence funding.
Foresight's investment will help SpaceAM continue to grow and achieve further success over the coming years. CEO and founder, Chris Isaac, had this to say: "We always knew there was value in our approach to autonomous sensor systems, creating the perfect synergy between hardware, software and AI, all in-house and all in the UK. Having Foresight on board does not just give us the capital to develop our product range, it gives us the structure and governance to start scaling. This is a clear signal to the market that we are preparing for a Series A round to scale at pace."
Andy Callen, Chair of SpaceAM and former co-founder of Callen-Lenz added: “The company has built impressive momentum in a short period of time, supported by strong customer engagement and a differentiated technology platform. The close of this funding round shows a huge endorsement by both the UK Government and a big-ticket UK institutional investor and will be transformative in scaling SpaceAM into a powerhouse of UK Space and Defence innovation."
Following their investment, Rubina Singh (Investment Director at Foresight Group) commented that “Chris and the team have made strong progress in a short period of time, demonstrating an ability to translate technical innovation rapidly into customer engagement and contract wins at an early stage. We look forward to supporting the business as it accelerates product development, strengthens its governance and prepares for its next stage of growth."
Space West sends a big well done to everyone at SpaceAM, well deserved and long may the success continue!
NauteXe Global Neutral buoyancy and human performance capability for UK space, from 2029
NauteXe Global has announced plans for the NauteXe Extreme Environment Centre (NEEC), a nationally significant £150 million facility to be built at Exeter Science Park.
At its core is a research and development test tank measuring 60 metres by 40 metres, with depths of up to 30 metres, planning is expected to be submitted by the end of 2026, with completion in 2029.
The facility aims to serve multiple markets, from subsea to defence and space. For the space sector, the significance is twofold. First, test and evaluation. A tank of this scale provides a neutral buoyancy environment suitable for assessing deployable structures, robotic manipulators, crew interfaces and servicing hardware with a human in the loop. Systems that a crew member must operate are better evaluated with a crew member operating them, at a stage where design changes remain affordable.
Second, human performance. The same environment supports EVA procedure development, suited task familiarisation, tool and interface ergonomics, and team coordination under physical load; applicable to government and commercial career astronauts and payload specialists alike. Co-located laboratory and engineering space, together with a hypobaric chamber extends this into space medicine and applied physiology research and test environment: hypoxia and altitude exposure, pressure suit and life support evaluation, decompression research, physiological monitoring and countermeasure development. Analogue missions in confined, high-consequence conditions sit naturally alongside both.
The facility is being developed with a Memorandum of Understanding in place with Exeter Science Park and its shareholders.
The specification is still being shaped. Organisations with requirements in crewed systems testing, aerospace physiology or astronaut and commercial spaceflight participant preparation are encouraged to contact the NauteXe Global team.
Oxford Space Systems and NCC Strengthen UK Space Manufacturing Capability
Oxford Space Systems (OSS), a leading developer of deployable composite antennas for satellites and spacecraft, has partnered with NCC to enhance its materials, manufacturing processes and supply chain capability as it prepares for future growth in the global space market.
With demand increasing across low Earth orbit (LEO), deep space and lunar missions, OSS sought to improve manufacturing consistency, introduce scalable production methods and explore higher-performance materials to support more challenging mission requirements.
NCC worked alongside OSS to optimise materials and manufacturing processes. A key outcome was the adoption of a spray-applied coating system, improving production consistency and providing a more scalable route to increased output. The coating has already achieved flight heritage on a LEO science mission and helped bring a UK SME into the space sector supply chain.
The collaboration also supported OSS in transitioning to an advanced resin system capable of meeting the demands of missions beyond LEO. Working with a European partner, OSS co-invested in a new composite manufacturing process that has opened opportunities in higher-value markets, including lunar exploration.
To support production scale-up, NCC identified advanced machining alternatives and non-destructive testing methods that have reduced waste, improved repeatability and increased manufacturing efficiency. The project also enabled additional UK suppliers to enter the space sector, strengthening domestic supply chains.
As a result, OSS is well positioned to qualify new materials, expand its product offering and compete for a broader range of future missions. The partnership highlights how advanced engineering collaboration can drive commercial growth while strengthening the UK's sovereign space manufacturing capability and supporting the continued development of the national space ecosystem.
Stephens Scown LLP
Law firm and Space West cluster partner Stephens Scown LLP are offering a free 30-minute consultation to five Space West Cluster members that are actively seeking to raise funding by issuing new shares. The sessions will be held on a 1-2-1 basis to ensure the consultation is tailored to each Cluster member’s own situation, and give them confidence to liaise with investors.
Experienced in advising start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs in the space, technology and manufacturing sectors on equity raises, Stephens Scown LLP has expertise advising on investments from a range of investor types such as VC funds, private equity funds, angel investors, crowdfunding and institutional funders.
As well as advising businesses seeking funding, Stephens Scown LLP also advises investors who are looking to invest, and therefore know what investors are looking for when making their investments.
Please get in touch if you would like to take up this opportunity.
Spacefest 2027 at Aerospace Bristol
The Wales & West Spacefest is now an annual public exhibition about space and astronomy in Wales and the West of England involving space businesses, not-for-profit organisations, and amateur astronomical societies. The purpose is to show young people, families and the public in general how close space is and how to get involved whether as an interest or becoming a STEM professional. Spacefest is seeking companies and industry bodies to become exhibitors in the 2027 Wales & West Spacefest. They can express their interest here. It is a great opportunity for public engagement and STEM outreach whether helping Key Stage 2 students see STEM as a future career or increasing awareness of the amazing things you do.
The exhibition is situated within the Concorde Hangar, beside the iconic aircraft, at Aerospace Bristol, Bristol, BS34 5BZ. It is intended to be a space to ‘play’ and explore the various facets of space and astronomy from the science, the UK’s legacy, the application of engineering today and in future, and the wonder of it all. There is also a programme of speakers in the auditorium throughout the day to give deeper dives into subject matter. The morning theme will be “exploring the Solar System” and the afternoon theme will be “Is There Life Out There?”
The Wales & West Spacefest 2027 will take place on Saturday 6th March 2027 at Aerospace Bristol and runs from 09:30 until 17:00. There is no fee for exhibitors displaying stands within the Concorde Hangar. The unit area for exhibitors will be 3m by 3m but multiples or different sizes can be requested. Requirements will be collated by January 2027 such as tables, mains power and height clearance (if applicable) and the exhibition organisers will look to deliver these and confirm in February. Exhibitors will be listed on here as they express interest and confirm attendance.
During the inaugural Spacefest 2026, there were nearly 800 visitors to Aerospace Bristol. For 2027, the promotion activities are being targeted to achieve 1,500 visitors comprising families with Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 3 children, those with an interest in photography, and those with an interest in stargazing, cosmology or space exploration. The exhibition is organised by a team from Bath Astronomers, Bristol Astronomical Society, and Cardiff Astronomical Society and in partnership with Aerospace Bristol.
Technical Webinar for Photonics Industry
On 8 September, OPTOMAN, ZYGO, G&H and Acktar are bringing together specialists from across the photonics industry for a technical webinar on the engineering challenges behind reliable optical links in space.
They’ll be covering areas including optical loss, coating degradation, thermal effects, beam and wavefront quality, alignment and link budgets, followed by a panel discussion and audience Q&A.
If you are interested in getting involved the webinar will be held on Tuesday, September 8 at 15:00 until 16:00.
To register, click on the link below.
International Bilateral Fund
The UK Space Agency has opened its latest International Bilateral Fund (IBF) competition, inviting proposals for projects that will strengthen international collaboration across the space sector.
The fund particularly encourages partnerships with organisations in Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan and the USA, while also welcoming applications involving other countries, including emerging space nations, where there is a strong alignment with IBF objectives. Successful proposals must clearly demonstrate how the partnership supports the space priorities of both the UK and the partner country.
Projects can run for up to 18 months from 1 April 2027, with up to £1.5 million in grant funding available per project. With a total funding pot of at least £12 million, the UK Space Agency expects to support between eight and twelve projects.
Interested applicants can learn more about the competition and application process by attending the upcoming IBF Call 3 Webinar.
The webinar is on Tuesday, September 8, at 10:00am until 10:45am. You can register here: https://orlo.uk/C7RY0
Deadlines:
- Expression of Interest: September 14, 2026 (optional but encouraged)
- Application deadline: November 4, 2026
Solar Eclipse
August was a particularly important month for the space community, as an eclipse that covered up to 96% of the moon came around on August 12.
A much as we love to experience these events, an eclipse presents quite the paradox as viewing one cannot be done directly with the human eye. To workaround this issue and still view the rare solar event, our Space West community improvised so that they too could enjoy the fun.
We have included some of our favourite images below:
