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Space & Space Enabled

This sector covers a wide range of businesses and technologies from the upstream and downstream space industries and the wider space economy.

It is a sector which presents many opportunities for new products and services and which has significant potential for growth.

The downstream and wide space economy includes applications and services using satellite data:

  • geographical information,
  • meteorological information
  • location and navigation (GPS),
  • precise timing,
  • communications,

These applications and services may support a variety of sectors including agriculture, transport and logistics, retail, financial services, energy, assisted living….

Some key growth areas include location based services which provide information, content and services - including applications for smart phones, tablets, cameras and fitness devices.  These include applications such as games, tourism and fitness.  There are also technical challenges to be solved, e.g. indoor positioning.  Other related areas include 'Internet of Things', autonomous vehicles, smart cities.

The upstream sectors includes precision engineering, design, and manufacturing of products and services such as:

  • payload (satellites, sensors, experiments),
  • launch vehicles
  • ground control systems
  • sub-systems

These areas present key engineering challenges e.g. arising from hostile environments, the need for light weighting, operating remotely.

The Loughborough University Space Cluster is a collection of local businesses and academic expertise.  Further information on the Space Cluster and Space Incubator programme can be found here.

The iNet support offering comes in the form of three ERDF projects: Catalysing Growth through Research for Transport Equipment Manufacturing, Smart Innovation for Networking and Growth (SING) and Productivity and Capability Enhancement (PACE), each with a slightly different support package. 

Please click on the one of the relevant projects below to find out more or get in touch: 01509 635270 or email us at inet@lboro.ac.uk.

Resources

Sources of support for businesses in this sector

Relevant projects

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Relevant case studies