New Director for RAL Space

Dr Christopher Mutlow has been appointed as Director of RAL Space at STFC’s Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. Previously Head of its Earth Observation and Atmospheric Science Division, he has led and been involved in a great many international projects. These include the Advanced Along-Track Scanning Radiometer which takes precise measurements of global sea surface temperature to aid climate research; also a number of space instruments, developed to measure greenhouse gases, atmospheric pollutants and data on the destruction and recovery of the ozone layer. Most recently he led the Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer for ESA’s Sentinel 3 mission to provide ocean, land and atmospheric data.

He is currently a co-Director of the UK Space Agency’s Centre for Earth Observation Instrumentation and Space Technology, and a member of their Earth Observation Advisory Committee.

“RAL Space is a key part of the national and international space infrastructure so I am both honoured and excited at being appointed to this new role, to deliver new science and impact for our communities and the UK. I am looking forward to collaborating with our colleagues from industry, academia and government in the many existing and future programmes we expect to be involved in over the next 10 years. Thanks to the investments made by STFC and the hard work of my predecessor, the immediate future is particularly bright for us as we start moving into our new, purpose built facilities .”

The new STFC space development and test facility, R100, for RAL Space and the global space community opens this month. It will help drive and build the UK’s capability in space research, and foster new commercial opportunities to shape and expand economic activity.

Professor Richard Holdaway, outgoing Director of RAL Space, said, "It’s been both a pleasure and an honour to be Director of RAL Space for the last 16 years. Chris came through a highly competitive open process before being confirmed as my successor, and I know that he will lead the department to great success over the coming years."