Northumbria University announces £50m UK space skills and R&D centre
Northumbria University has announced a total of £50m in funding for a ‘world-leading’ space skills and R&D centre, with investments from Lockheed Martin and the UK Space Agency.
The North East Space Skills and Technology Centre (NESST) is expected to support the creation of over 350 jobs and inject over £260m into the North East economy over the next 30 years.
Announced during the UK Space Conference (November 22, 2023), the UK Space Agency has awarded £10m for the development of NESST, the largest of all the projects funded and the maximum amount that could be granted under the organisation’s new Space Clusters Infrastructure Fund (SCIF).
Lockheed Martin committed a further £15m to work with Northumbria’s experts on collaborative research, technology development, in-demand skills provision and STEM engagement activities over a 10 year period.
Northumbria University has match-funded the investments with a further £25m. The centre, due to re-open in 2025, will sit at the heart of its city campus in Newcastle.
The University said that NESST will put the UK at the forefront of research and innovation in areas including optical satellite communications, space weather and space-based energy, as well as providing specialist education and training for the UK space sector.
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