The R&D hub aims to provide cutting-edge facilities to help space businesses grow and is expected to create up to 300 jobs. Spanning 62,000 square feet, it has testing facilities, training spaces and commercial workspaces.
For example, there is a vacuum chamber for testing electric propulsion engines, which the UKSA highlights as only facility of its type in the UK and one of the largest in the world.
The location is the Westcott Venture Park. And the UKSA highlighted this a site with 50 years of heritage as a rocket engine test site. It is also the site of the Westcott Drone Test and Development Centre.
“This world-class facility will provide companies with access to cutting-edge testing infrastructure that was previously unavailable in this country, helping them to scale up and compete globally,” said Dr Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency.
“Our £5.8 million investment is already delivering results, leveraging substantial private sector funding and creating high-skilled jobs. By bringing together businesses, researchers and training facilities under one roof, the Hub will foster the collaboration essential for growing the UK’s thriving space economy.”
Facilities
The Hub includes:
- 42,000 square feet of flexible commercial space featuring offices, laboratories and workshops, with 33% already pre-let, says UKSA
- A 10,000 square foot training facility with a 150-seat lecture auditorium, 15 classrooms and a fully equipped workshop
- 10,000 square feet of shared facilities including a clean room, mechanical environmental testing facilities, and propulsion testing facilities
Funding
In detail, the UKSA is contributing £5.8 million of funding. And there is £15 million in match funding from URA Thrusters in partnership with Patrizia Hanover Property Unit Trust, Skyports Drone Services, Westcott Shared Facilities Ltd and Buckinghamshire Council.
“The Westcott Space Hub, in conjunction with our historic existing testing sites in Westcott, has made us one of the few companies in the world with capacity for full integration, production and in-vacuum testing for both, chemical and electric thrusters,” said Alberto Garbayo, CEO of URA Thrusters.
“Westcott is becoming one of the leading propulsion testing sites in the world, but, thanks to the Hub, it is becoming an even more attractive place to conduct other space business activities: over the next few years we will see more Westcott-made technologies going into orbit, including deep-space.”
Image: (top) UKSA – Nigel MacKenzie, Development Manager at Westcott, Dr Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency, Countess Howe, Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, Alberto Garbayo, CEO of URA Thrusters, Councillor Steven Broadbent, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council and Emily Waller, Director, Westcott Shared Facilities.
(bottom) Skyports Drone Services – Aerial view of Westcott Space Hub
See also: UKSA funds 23 projects for international space partnerships
