University joins UK's £17bn space sector

A university has said its recently launched new institute could put a Hampshire city at the forefront of the UK space industry.

The Southampton Space Institute, which belongs to the University of Southampton, will support government plans to develop Britain's fast-growing space sector, worth £17bn every year.

It brings together the expertise of world-renowned research groups and facilities to drive the development of new space technology and conversations around policy and space sustainability.

Inaugural director Prof Matt Middleton said the university "has taught thousands of students about aircraft and satellite design since 1959".

The new institute is working with the UK's largest regional space cluster, Space South Central, which connects the university with 130 space-related businesses across Hampshire, Surrey and the Isle of Wight.

The university said it built on its "65-year heritage of education and research in space science, aeronautics and astronautics".

Scientists were recently awarded more than a million pounds through the UK Space Agency's (UKSA) national space innovation programme.

The university said it would use the funding "to develop a plasma torch system, simulating the extreme thermal conditions spacecraft face during re-entry, as well as a sustainable water-based propulsion system for satellites".

Middleton added the industry "needs the expertise of a university like Southampton to train the next generation, create new jobs and companies, and ensure that space is sustainable in the long term".

"We will be drawing on our expertise in electronics, fundamental science, astronautics, artificial intelligence and many others, to enrich the UK space industry and support the national space strategy."

UK space policy expert and former UKSA chief executive Prof David Parker worked with Prof Middleton to set up the institute.

He said their vision was "to drive sustainable, local and national economic growth by becoming one of the top UK universities for space education, novel space science, technology, and applications of space data here on Earth".