Launching the Future - Making the UK’s Space Ambitions a Reality
There has never been a more exciting time to be involved in the UK space economy – and Lockheed Martin is at the very forefront of helping to drive this agenda to the next level.
At Farnborough Airshow you can come and find out firsthand exactly what programmes we have underway, how we are helping to create the space workforce of the future and our initiatives to help make the next generation realise that a career in space is very much a reality.
Lockheed Martin in the UK is totally committed to supporting the British Government in its endeavours to build a space industry, with the aim of the country becoming a science and technology superpower along with making real inroads into levelling up the economy. These ambitious plans include delivering end-to-end onshore space satellite capabilities – offering every stage of the journey from idea and concept all the way through to manufacturing and launch.
Recognising that none of this is possible without a skilled workforce, we are taking great strides to imbue young people with a sense of excitement and possibility, thanks to initiatives like our Space Camps. Last year we teamed up with satellite communications firm, Viasat, and ran camps in both Sunderland and London for students in years six and 12. Here they were given the opportunity to find out more about space – from making rockets to listening to inspirational talks from people within the industry – to hopefully encourage them down this career path.
Nik Smith, Regional Director of Lockheed Martin Space UK, believes these kinds of experiences are crucial.
Lockheed Martin is also at the forefront of one of the most exciting developments for the growth of space-related skills - NESST, the North East Space Skills and Technology Centre. This £50m project being developed with Northumbria University and the UK Space Agency will be a purpose-build facility in the North East and will become essential to world-leading space experts. At its heart is combining academia with those at the cutting edge of this industry – which will play an active role in boosting the UK space economy.
Nik Smith is passionate about the company’s commitment to “broadening the industry across the UK and in particular, in the North East,” he said.
“As part of that commitment, we have partnered with Northumbria University in Newcastle and the UK Space Agency and have invested £15m to help build the North East Space Skills and Technology Centre (NESST) a £50m project."
And that’s not all. Lockheed Martin’s partnership with the Government has led to a project with the UK Space Agency to conduct a vertical satellite launch from SaxaVord Spaceport in the Shetland Islands, injecting a further commitment to the UK economy. The value of having a robust space economy cannot be underestimated, particularly when it comes to defending and protecting our country and its assets.
Other countries such as China and Russia have seen the benefits that space has to offer in terms of communication and targeting and it’s essential that we ensure that we have a superior position in the military space race.
The key to this is satellite constellations, operating from low earth orbit (LEO) to geostationary orbit (GEO), allowing us to have the resilience in place to deal with any possible threats. Lockheed Martin has been at the cutting edge of delivering innovation and technology in this field, a position it has held for decades and will continue to grow and develop. Along with the capability of being able to resist any threats out in space, Lockheed Martin is also creating a huge impact back on earth. As part of its strategy the company is aiming to get more SMEs into the UK supply chain and grow the capabilities of smaller organisations so they can play a very real part in the future.
For more information about all of our current work, please visit us at the space zone stand 4110 where our experts will be on hand to give you more information on any of our current programmes.