Developing the Midlands space industry

The UK offers exciting opportunities across the space sector. The growing market has great potential for companies operating in aerospace and adjacent industries. The MAA has been increasing its work in the space sector in recent years to support the supply chain with understanding the market and leveraging the opportunities.

Supported by the UK Space Agency, the Midlands Space Cluster now has its own website: Welcome to the Midlands Space Cluster

The Midlands hosts world-renowned space research institutions with over 900 academic, research and technical employees across eight universities. The Midlands Innovation Space Group represents one of the largest collections of space-related expertise in the world and cutting-edge development facilities at Space Park Leicester. In addition, the region is home to the National Space Centre and the Manufacturing Technology Centre.

The region is ideally positioned to support the development of key national capabilities including Space Domain Awareness, In-Orbit Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing, Space Data for Earth Applications and Position, Navigation and Timing.

The Midlands Space Cluster aims to bolster and expand space-related businesses within the region, supporting both existing companies and new entrants with the technical expertise to pivot into the space sector. This involves three key activities: 

• Establishing the requirements of the space business nationally and internationally through engagement with agencies, catapults and primes.
• Cataloguing and developing space capabilities in the region. 
• Hosting events that connect companies with the requirements and the funding agencies that can assist them to move forward at pace.

The capabilities, organisations and facilities come together to create a region capable of delivering the technology and systems for the next generation of the UK space mission.