Space West Newsletter - November 2025
Welcome
Welcome to the November 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.
As space becomes an increasingly vital domain for society, the economy, and national security, it is also becoming more congested, contested, and competitive. Innovation continues to expand the capabilities of space systems, making them essential - but also more vulnerable to a range of risks.
To address these challenges, the UK Space Agency’s Security & Resilience Team is hosting a series of workshops across the UK’s cluster networks and regions. These events aim to raise awareness of the risks associated with operating in the space ecosystem and to foster a stronger security mindset among space organisations.
The Space Security Roadshow’s most recent stop was Wales, as we took part in Wales Tech Week on Tuesday 25 November. Elliot Thornton delivered an engaging workshop on cybersecurity in space and there is more opportunity to take part coming soon.
On Friday 12 December we'll be at the University of Nottingham in the Winter Gardens on the Jubilee Campus. Our event begins at 1:30pm and will once again include an interactive workshop with the UK Space Agency. Register below.
If you are available earlier in the day, the Midlands Space Cluster is hosting a morning event at the same venue. Check out our next story.
The Midlands Space Cluster is hosting a morning event at the same venue as the Space Security Roadshow on Friday 12 December: Midlands Space Cluster Collaboration Day: Connecting Academia and Industry.
The event will start at 09:30am and offers a dedicated opportunity for academics and industry partners to explore new ways of working together.
Register below.
Next in our Cosmic Catch-Up series: Position Navigation and Timing - Threats & Opportunities happening on Friday 28 November from 08:30-10:00 at NCC, Bristol.
The guest speakers will be Andrew Kelly who is a technical lead in the field, and Biagio Forte who is a senior lecturer at the University of Bath in Electronic & Electrical Engineering.
Our Space West Cosmic Catch Ups are an opportunity to network and learn about regional capabilities and opportunities. These informal breakfast networking event take a different topic each month and bring together speakers from across the region and UK to highlight what is new in this space - please excuse the pun!
This will be the final instalment of the Cosmic Catch Up in 2025, we will announce the first date of 2026 in due course.
You can sign up for the event below.
A fantastic week for the South West Space Partnership in Bremen. The South West Space Partnership, a collaboration between Space West, Invest Bristol and Bath, Cornwall Space Cluster and Cornwall Council, took a delegation of 15 regional companies to Space Tech Expo Bremen, Europe’s largest space trade show. We had a busy week of activities and support for businesses on our stand, starting with a networking reception on the Tuesday evening with over 140 UK and international delegates joining us to hear what the South West has to offer and how they can work with the Space clusters to foster partnerships, trade and investment.
Wednesday saw our regional delegates invited to a site visit at OHB and the opportunity to pitch their capabilities in a dedicated event aimed at strengthening regional ties and supply chains to support their newly founded OHB UK entity and the broader OHB group.
Space West and Invest Bristol and Bath also met with a number of international multipliers and Space Agencies including Evin Liao, Department Director at the Taiwan Space Agency exploring technology areas of interest and opportunities to build partnerships and economic ties between regions and organisations.
Becky Huffee highlighted the strength of the cross regional collaboration:
‘This is the second time that we have been to Bremen and through this and other showcases we have built a sense of community and our delegates are supporting each other to get the most out of the event, championing the region and taking the opportunity to build personal relationships that strengthens the regional identity and reach.’
Feedback from our delegates was extremely positive and we hope to build on the approach that we have taken and strengthen support for organisations interested in international markets.
The UK Parliament has sent out the message: Government needs to take action if UK is to be a winner in new race for space. Their new report titled ‘The Space Economy: Act Now or Lose Out, finds that the global space economy is primed for growth and that the UK possesses the potential to take advantage of the economic and security benefits brought by satellite technology.
The key recommendations focus on strategic direction, development of multi-use technologies, a cross-governmental space policy, reformation of the UK’s space funding model. It is also seen as vital to address skills challenges, make strategic partnerships, and promote safety and sustainability.
Baroness Ashton, Chair of the UK Engagement with Space Committee said:
“Only the most strategic and forward-looking nations will capture the economic and scientific rewards of this new space age. With the right leadership, co-ordination, and investment, the UK can be there. Space is transforming the world and our report found much to be positive about. Britain should play a role in leading this transformation. If not, it risks being left behind.”
Reinventing Space
The British Interplanetary Society held their annual Reinventing Space event on the 27th to the 29th of October. Becky Huffee Space West Cluster Manager joined a panel to discuss the role of clusters in supporting the sector over the next decade. The panel highlighted the collaborative approach that the space clusters take to emerging opportunities seeking partnerships across the ecosystem that enable the whole of the UK sector to thrive.
Reinventing Space is a conference dedicated to advancing humanity’s future capabilities in space. The event also plays host to the Sir Arthur Clarke Awards recognise and reward those individuals and teams that have made notable or outstanding achievements in, or contributions to, space activities in the UK. Known as ‘The Arthurs’, they have been presented annually since 2005.
Amongst the winners was one of the West’s own, as the Space AM LEVL Team who operate out of Stonehouse, Gloucestershire scooped the award for Academic Study/Research Team. This was for the design of the auto-rotating Leading Edge Vortex Lift (LEVL) probes for the Venus Morning Star Mission in 2031. Due to their slow descent, the 30 probes will allow prolonged sampling of the atmosphere. Learn more here.
CEO and Designer Chris Isaac recently spoke about their prospective work on Venus at one of our recent Cosmic Catch Ups. The Space West team would like to congratulate Chris and the team for their excellent achievement.
Click here to see the full list of winners.
Vibro-acoustic Modelling and High-frequency Analysis Solutions for Space Cluster Collaborations
Mecha specialises in research and development, providing advanced computational structural dynamics and stress engineering solutions for impact, shock response, bird-strike, fatigue and damage tolerance (F&DT), and mechanical integrity of metallic and composite aerostructures across both civil and defence aerospace sectors, as well as vibro-acoustics analysis solutions using the statistical energy analysis method through a solution channel partnership with ESI Group and Keysight Technologies. With over 12 years of experience and expertise in computational analysis, validation and international airworthiness regulations and standards, including EASA CS, 14 CFR, CAA, ASTM, and MIL-STD-810, Mecha supports OEMs and Tier-1 companies in overcoming complex structural challenges, achieving ruggedised designs, and advancing product TRL from conceptual design through PDR and CDR stages.
In addition to delivering tailored engineering solutions, with a strategic focus on high-fidelity certification by analysis (CbA) toolset development for both legacy and next-generation lightweight composite aerostructures, Mecha is developing a research and technology (R&T) project aligned with the ATI strategic roadmaps towards Fly Zero and net-zero emission objectives.
