North East university announces £50m space research centre
Summary
NESST is expected to directly support the creation of over 350 jobs and inject over \xa3260 million into the North East economy over the next 30 years, playing a critical role in the governments levelling-up agenda and immediately becoming a catalyst for the wider development of the UK space sector in the North East region.The UK Space Agency has awarded \xa310 million to Northumbria University to support the development of NESST. In addition to this, Lockheed Martin committed a further \xa315 million investment in NESST to work with Northumbrias experts on collaborative research, technology development, in-demand skills provision and STEM engagement activities over a 10-year period.Through this strategic agreement, Lockheed Martin will become the first anchor tenant in NESST, creating unprecedented links for UK companies to access the global space market.Located in the heart of Northumbria Universitys Newcastle city campus, NESST will be a new national space asset that brings together industry and academia to collaborate on internationally significant space research and technological developments.NESST will put the UK at the forefront of research and innovation in areas including optical satellite communications, space weather and space-based energy, and will lead the way in providing specialist education and training to ensure the UK space sector has the highly skilled workers it needs in the future.Artists impression of the NESST building at Northumbria University (Image: Press release)Lockheed Martin and Northumbria University first joined forces in 2022 to support the development of skills, research and technology in the space sector. Lockheed Martin has previously invested \xa3630,000 into collaborations with the University on a number of trailblazing projects, including working together to create machine learning algorithms to detect and record nanojets, as well as joining forces to accelerate the use of space-based solar power. Quite simply, NESST will be a game-changer for the whole of the North East, ensuring the region becomes a major hub for innovation in the global space economy.Nik Smith, Regional Director for UK and Europe, Lockheed Martin, said: NESST is one part of Lockheed Martins investment plans for our space business in the UK and will provide early prototyping and test facilities for new capabilities that could eventually be manufactured onshore. "Cllr Nick Kemp, Leader of Newcastle City Council, said: The North East Space Skills and Technology Centre is an incredibly exciting development for our city and the wider region.This is an opportunity to make Newcastle a major player in the UK space industry while providing a significant boost to the local economy and providing hundreds of new opportunities for people.We are very fortunate in Newcastle to have the world-leading academic institutions that we do, and securing the funding for this landmark project is an outstanding achievement for Northumbria University, and is testament to the excellence of the research it undertakes.s mission-ready, accelerating their entry into commercial markets, whilst making a lasting and valuable contribution to the wider UK economy.