New space cluster paves way for Scotland’s world-leading aspirations

A new space cluster has been launched in the west of Scotland in a bid to make the country “a leading global space player”.

The development is the latest addition to the UK’s space cluster ecosystem and aims to become an innovation hotspot.

The region, which already holds a track record in the sector, will be “critical” for Scotland to reach its ambition of securing £4bn of the global space market by 2030, it is claimed.

It is understood that the west of Scotland is at the “forefront” of the European space race, being a hub for spacecraft systems, payload manufacturing, launch and data analysis activity.

The aim of the cluster is to drive collaboration between industry, universities and colleges in addition to boosting regional economic growth. It includes companies such as AA Clyde Space, which launched Scotland’s first satellite a decade ago, and Spire Global, which claims to provide the world's largest multi-purpose constellation.

Craig Clark, founder of AAC Clyde Space, said the cluster would help provide the foundation for Scotland’s emerging end-to-end capability in the European small satellite value chain, attracting international companies “to set up operations” in the region.

He continued: “With SaxaVord Spaceport now operating as the first fully licensed vertical launch Spaceport in Europe, the west of Scotland has a pivotal role to play in the delivery of the country’s end-to-end capability and helping to attract international companies to set up operations here as we have recently seen with the South African CubeSat imaging company, Simera Sense.

“From a standing start in 2005, Scotland now has one of the fastest-growing space sectors in the world, fuelled by global excellence in space-related research and a long history of innovation and entrepreneurship in engineering. The aim of the west of Scotland space cluster is to grease the wheels of the continued growth of the sector in the region and help make Scotland a leading global space player.”

John Ward, senior director of research and development at Spire Global, added: “This new space cluster will enhance collaboration and connectivity among regional players, accelerating innovation and creating a more integrated supply chain. By fostering this ecosystem, we can unlock new opportunities for growth and cement the west of Scotland as a leading hub in the global space industry.”

The announcement comes ahead of Space-Comm Expo Scotland beginning tomorrow in Glasgow. The two-day conference is one of the biggest UK space industry events and will have an array of speakers including business minister Richard Lochhead and Scottish secretary Ian Murray as well as UK Space Agency’s (UKSA) chief executive Paul Bate.

Antonia Yendell, head of the UKSA's space ecosystem team, said: “The UKSA strongly supports and is investing in the growth of the Scottish space economy. The UK space ecosystem is a competitive advantage for the UK space sector, and Scotland plays a critical role in our thriving and interconnected cluster network, developing our national capabilities and driving economic growth.”