Ross White: Scotland’s space researchers are shooting for the stars

Published on Thursday 23 February 2012 02:09

THE idea of Scotland playing a leading role in the space sector may sound to some like the stuff of science fiction, but it’s far from it.

The space sector contributes £5.6 billion to the UK economy, as well as supporting 68,000 high-value jobs. Not only that, it has soared above the recent economic headwinds, growing an average of 9 per cent each year since 1999.

Scotland-based companies are playing a key role in that success story. Clyde Space is leading the design and manufacture of the UKube-1 satellite – the UK’s first satellite commissioned by the UK Space Agency. Other examples include Star-Dundee, which sells its data-handling test products to almost every international space agency, while Selex Galileo is tapping into the market for European satellites.

Commercial success also goes hand in hand with globally recognised academic excellence, with the recent launch of the Space Glasgow research cluster by the UK Science Minister David Willetts. Scotland is also involved with key instruments for the James Webb Space Telescope, which will replace Hubble.

But don’t think that space research is something that can only be applied out in the great beyond. In fact, on 6 March Glasgow will host the second Scottish Space Symposium, exploring the theme of “Bringing space down to earth”. Scottish Enterprise is supporting the event in partnership with University of Strathclyde to showcase the benefits of using space-based information and technologies.

For example, use of space-based data will allow Network Rail to improve safety by monitoring landslides remotely via satellite rather than sending engineers to remote locations. Edinburgh-based Ecometrica is also using satellite data to monitor CO2 levels, putting them at the vanguard of carbon trading and tariffs which the EU is investigating placing on businesses as a means of tackling climate change.

So the Scottish Space Symposium will explore how businesses can benefit from terrestrial applications in such key fields as communications and transport. Science fact, as opposed to science fiction.

• Ross White is part of Scottish Enterprise’s aerospace, marine and defence team

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Mark Bishop

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 06:22 PM

I looked up Christina and this is what I found: http:www.theyworkforyou.comsp ie nothing after 2010.

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Buford Van Stomm

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 02:34 PM

Can somebody with some sense please start making proper decisions? ==================================================== step up Christina McKelvie.

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Mark Bishop

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 01:57 PM

Jolly good. Looks like we have plenty of money then. Why not blast the surplus out into space? better than posting it down a drain. One minute we are struggling to pay our heating bills and the next we can have a symposium. Can somebody with some sense please start making proper decisions?

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Buford Van Stomm

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 11:30 AM

Scottish Enterprise running a space symposium is the equivalent of letting primary 2 of the Holy Family Primary man a nuclear submarine unsupervised in hostile waters. Scottish enterprise struggles to advise local businesses on the very grants available for apprenticeships advertised on their own website and administered by them.

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