Together we are fostering an environment of growth, collaboration and sector advancement
The North West Space Cluster is home to a constellation of regional capabilities, organisations, and stakeholders dedicated to the further development of the UK’s Space economy. It comprises a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and networks supporting commercial, academic, and public sector interests within the region to deliver sustainable economic and societal development, further advancing the UK Space sector as a whole.
Delivering Growth By Building On Our Established Strengths
A Constellation of Capabilities
Led by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (UKRI-STFC) based at Sci-Tech Daresbury, the North West Space Cluster convenes partners from across Cumbria, Lancashire, the Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester, and Cheshire to develop and grow our space capabilities, building connections nationally and internationally, so that the North West is recognised as a major space economy, leading on both the National and Defence Space Strategies.
The cluster is able to interact with counterpart space cluster developments in the UK, in particular the flagship Space Cluster at Harwell which is also led by STFC. Many of these cluster developments have been supported (as with the North West) by the UK Space Agency Local Growth Cluster Initiative.
Through working with them and other key partners, we can stimulate cross regional and multidisciplinary engagement and innovation.
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Nuclear in Space
The National Nuclear Laboratory, in Cumbria, is the UK’s national laboratory for nuclear fission, and has been working on the development of novel sources of power for Space since 2009.
With investment from both UK, and European Space Agencies, the National Nuclear Laboratory is developing the next generation of deep space power systems right here, in the North West of England.
Cyber and Defence
With the establishment of the National Cyber Force in Lancashire, and a significant portion of GCHQ relocating alongside industry and research partners in central Manchester, our region, already an internationally significant digital ecosystem, is now critical to the cyber defence of the UK and its allies.
Working with partners across both Space and Cyber, including the Lancaster Security Institute, and Plexal, the North West Space Cluster is dedicated to ensuring cyber resilience across the UK space sector, by convening unique opportunities to explore emerging challenges, develop meaningful collaboration, and create robust solutions.
In addition, the Liverpool City Region hosts STFC's Hartree Centre; the nation’s most powerful industry available supercomputer, dedicated to convening research and business partnerships to develop disruptive, innovative solutions for the 21st centuries most prescient technical challenges.
Advanced Engineering, Manufacturing, and Electronics
The North West of England is home to internationally renowned defence manufacturing programmes such as the F35, Tempest, and Dreadnought, and as such has significant capabilities in electronics, materials, structures, and integration.
Working with partners such as the North West Aerospace Alliance, the ElecTech Innovation Cluster, and Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster the North West Space Cluster is supporting businesses in supply chains across multiple high technology sectors to explore their own diversification into the Space sector.
World Leading Research
As the birthplace of Graphene, the region is the world leader in materials R&D, boasting a variety of key establishments, including the National Graphene Institute, the Henry Royce Institute, the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre, and Materials Innovation Factory.
A world class medicines and vaccine cluster exists across the region, which includes the Medicines Discovery Catapult, the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Aldery Park, and critical facilities from a range of major pharmaceutical multinationals.
The international treaty organisation behind the largest scientific instrument in Human history, the Square Kilometre Array Observatory, is headquartered in Cheshire alongside the University of Manchester’s prestigious Jodrell Bank Observatory. In addition, Liverpool John Moores University’s Astrophysics Research Institute owns and operates the most advanced robotic telescopes on Earth, located on La Palma. Similarly, the Jerimiah Horrocks Institute at the University of Central Lancashire is a leader in Solar, Stellar, Galactic, and Extragalactic physics.
The North West Space Cluster is managed by Alan Cross, our dedicated Cluster Manager who drives the development and continued growth of the cluster.
Get in touch
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Get in touch, email: alan.cross@stfc.ac.uk
Credits:
Image credits: A rare cloud-free view of Ireland, Great Britain and northern France - credit: ESA - European Space Agency, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO. Ipopba - "Industrial abstract for background, Backdrop, welding and manufacturing." • Dmitry - "Music abstract background. Molecular background with DNA. Network with connecting dots and lines. Big data visualization. Sound wave. 3d rendering."