Space West - September Newsletter 2024

A new Executive development opportunity is now available for Defence and Space sector personnel, with your requirements specifically in mind.

The University of Exeter is pleased to be part of the Global Executive MBA (Defence and Space) (GEMBA) partnership, working alongside the University of South Australia (UniSA) and Carnegie Mellon USA, to deliver an innovative approach to supporting current and future leaders in Global Defence and Space.

Run by the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) aims to inspire companies to win new business, develop industrial capabilities, and provide new cutting-edge answers to defence problems at home and abroad, ensuring the UK expands its competitive, pioneering and world-class defence and security industries.  The £16 million programme is designed to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the UK to develop innovative materials, technologies and processes, and to enhance defence supply chains.  

This funding call consists of 6 sub-themes, each open at a different point in time. Please see the list of currently open or upcoming funding calls and their further specific details below:

1. Smart Cities and Infrastructure: 7 March 2024 – 7 May 2024
2. Transportation and Logistics: 26 April 2024 – 26 June 2024
3. Energy and Utilities: 23 May - 23 July 2024 
4. Health and Safety: 17 July - 17 September 2024
5. Maritime and Marine: 23 September - 23 November 2024
6. Agriculture: Opening October 2024

West of England Combined Authority are supporting businesses in the region to explore the benefits from the implementation of digital technologies. Providing access to grant funding, bespoke expertise and guidance for your business as well as skills and training.

The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.

The Defence and Security Accelerator find and fund exploitable innovation to support UK defence and security quickly and effectively. Check it out for open calls for funding. 

ESA's ARTES Core Competitiveness programme helps European and Canadian industry to develop innovative satcom products, services, systems and partnerships.

The South West Investment Fund is the first in a series of new Nations and Regions Investment Funds being launched by the British Business Bank, and it will deliver a £200 million commitment of new funding to the area. The fund aims to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the South West.

Details on open funding opportunities from the UK Space Agency, the space sector, academic, education and community partners.

• Exploration Science working group support
• ARTES: Invitations To Tender (ESA Workplan Activities) 
• Navigation Innovation Support Programme (NavISP)
• Student support: ESA microgravity programmes
• Responsive Mode Call - Exploration Community Development
• General Support Technology Programme (GSTP)

Opportunities for secondments at NCSC advisor roles for  Radio Frequency security and Private Critical National Infrastructure secondments.

A three-year initiative to boost Future Economy-focused SMEs through aligning grant funding for R&D development with investment from partnerships with credible investor partners

Space Tech Expo Europe is Europe’s largest B2B event for the space industry. At the show, you can expect to see a variety of space technologies used in manufacturing processes.

Rebecca Huffee, Space West Cluster Manager, will there on behalf of Space West.

Join us on the 15th of October 2024 at TWI Cambridge for the official launch of the ESA Technology Broker UK. This event marks a pivotal moment for UK companies looking to expand into the space industry. Co-organised with Space East and NAAME, this launch will bring together key players from across the sector, including representatives from TWI, the UK Space Agency (UKSA), ESA Business Incubation Centres (BICs), and the Satellite Applications Catapult. 

Showcasing UK expertise and innovation in using information from space to address urgent climate challenges.

Organised by the British Interplanetary Society, Reinventing Space is a conference and exhibition dedicated to advancing humanity’s future capabilities in space and highlights the trends that will define space enterprise a decade from now. Each year, the conference brings together a network of innovators from industry, agency, government, financiers, academia and end users to present and discuss the key challenges and opportunities for future space leadership and growth.

Farnborough International Space Show 2025 will see a new look Farnborough Space show and Space West can offer our cluster members the chance to share a stand at a much-reduced price. The event is taking place between 19-20 March 2025 at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre, and the event connects the global space community across industry, defence, government and academia.

It offers you the chance to meet with senior decision makers and active buyers across the space ecosystem.  Please visit the brochure attached to find out more about the event. Exhibitor opportunity – Cost is £1,000 dependent on us getting a minimum of 4 businesses involved.  If interested please email Rebecca Huffee [email protected]

The role

As a Third Line Support Engineer, you’ll have a role that’s out of the ordinary. You will be key in the undertaking of fault investigations and performing upgrades and enhancements. You will also support an On-call rota for out of hours support.

The role

We are looking for a Propulsion System Engineer to join our team in the UK. You will become part of a growing Spacecraft Propulsion and Thermal group. Within this team, you will contribute to the definition and improvement of the Propulsion System designs of Spacecrafts. The activities will range from the specification definition up to the support to AIV activities and will include the execution of tests and technical interactions with suppliers.

The role

D-Orbit is hiring a systems engineer to join our growing UK systems engineering team. As an integral part of the group, you will be involved in both the customization of already flight-qualified platforms, such as the ION Satellite Carrier Vehicle, and the design of new advanced missions. Your ultimate objective as a systems engineer is to ensure your systems, the spacecraft, will fly safely to orbit, deliver the services required by mission objectives and eventually successfully accomplish its disposal.

The role

D-Orbit is hiring a system engineer to join our growing system engineering team. As an integral part of the group, you will be involved in both the customization of already flight-qualified platforms, such as the ION Satellite Carrier Vehicle, and the design of new advanced missions. Your ultimate objective as a system engineer is to ensure your system, the spacecraft, will fly safely to orbit, deliver the services required by mission objectives and eventually successfully accomplish its disposal.

ICOMAT is an ambitious advanced manufacturing company with game changing technology and critically people with the imagination and drive to grow a business that will enable leading OEMs in the Aeronautics, Automotive Space and Defence sectors to significantly reduce the weight and improve the performance and efficiency of their vehicles & products. 

Starion UK, now headquartered in Bath, is keen to recruit the best expertise to deliver space segment and ground segment systems and studies. Whilst there is not currently a recruitment campaign underway, we welcome CV’s from those seeking roles in these areas. If you are interested, please email  [email protected] before the end of June 2024