The Highlights From Space-Comm Expo 2022

The space industry gathered in Farnborough on 7th September for 2022 Space-Comm Expo. We have gathered some of the highlights from the two-day event:

Where the UK currently is in terms of the National Space Strategy (NSS)

It was great to hear about where the UK currently is in terms of the NSS. Deputy CEO for program delivery at the UK Space Agency (UKSA), Ian Annett, gave an apt analogy to describe the country’s position. He compared the strategy to a catapult, stating the UK was at the stage where the catapult is about to release.

He said that rather than a strategy, we now have a plan:

“We have set up a strategy, and have been developing good science. We are there. We are about to live this. The space sector has weathered the storm recently well. We need to be on the front foot now.”

SSTL and EECL sign a significant contract at the Space-Comm Expo

While there were many lectures and discussions at the Space-Comm Expo, there was also business on the table. Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) and engineering consultancy EECL put pen to paper in a deal. 

This will see EECL provide low noise amplifiers (LNA) for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) HydroGNSS Scout Earth Observation payload front-end receiver. SSTL will build the satellite for ESA.

HydroGNSS will collect soil and biomass data from space to sharpen our understanding of climate change.

The importance of collaboration

An insightful panel chaired by Caroline Donaghy, the ADS Group’s Defence Director, saw members from Secro Group, Reaction Engines, Satellite Applications Catapult, and UK Space Command discuss the importance of collaboration.

The panel spoke about the need to work together to uphold, defend, and protect global space security. 

Space debris was a hot topic

As we have mentioned in recent weeks, space debris is a big area of concern for industry experts. The Managing Director of Astro Scale, Nick Shave, moderated a pivotal discussion on the increasing space debris. The panel discussed the rapidly increasing probability of orbital collisions.