West of Scotland Brings UK Space Cluster Network to 16

A sixteenth region has been added to the UK Space Cluster directory, with the launch of the West of Scotland Space Cluster this week.

The news was revealed to align with day one of the first 2024 Space-Comm Expo Scotland, taking place at the SEC in Glasgow on Wednesday 11 September and Thursday 12 September.

West of Scotland gathers the famous and the new

The newly-created hub will encompass many Glasgow-based space companies, including AAC Clyde Space and Spire Global, as well as local universities, highlighting the region’s capabilities in small satellite design and deployment, space data services, and AI.

It comes as Scotland’s burgeoning space industry furthers its push to claim £4 billion of the global space market by 2030.

According to AAC Clyde Space founder Craig Clark MBE, the new cluster has been set up to further drive regional growth in the sector, and support local research and manufacturing.

He said given SaxaVord’s status as the first fully-licensed vertical spaceport on the continent, the West of Scotland “has a pivotal role to play in the delivery of the country’s end-to-end capability and helping to attract international companies to set up operations here.”

Since its establishment, the UK Space Cluster network has played a vital role in supporting and expanding the UK’s space industry.

The cluster system allows for businesses, researchers, and startups to collaborate and access resources that are tailored to their local requirements.

Clark said the new West of Scotland cluster aims to “grease the wheels of the continued growth of the sector in the region and help make Scotland a leading global space player”.

 “From a standing start in 2005, Scotland now has one of the fastest-growing space sectors in the world, fuelled by global excellence in space-related research and a long history of innovation and entrepreneurship in engineering,” he added.

The need for a regional core

Speaking of the space cluster network at the Farnborough Airshow last month, Space South Central’s director Dr Louise Butt shared that the clusters are designed to “act as champions and advocates for their regional space sector.”

“In my region, we have over 170 Space businesses, and four academic institutions [working in] space,” she said.

Equally, she pointed to other regions of the UK, specifically Glasgow, which has its own “significant presence”, and therefore needs its own resources, tailor-made for its unique regional sector.

“I can’t possibly facilitate support there, it needs to have its own regional voice and regional approach,” she said.

Despite the separation of the space clusters, Dr Butt explained that none of the regions are “working in isiloation”.

“We are constantly working together, we’re not siloed. There is a deep connectivity between us so that we can make sure that the experiences and needs of our stakeholders and areas are also sent through as a single voice to government and so forth.”