New Centre set to Boost UK Space Sector

A partnership between Aberystwyth University and locally-based Environment Systems Ltd has led to the launch of The Aberystwyth Centre for Space and Earth Monitoring (ACSEM), a multi-disciplinary centre that is fully aligned with the Welsh and UK Governments’ space Strategies.

The UK aims to capture a 10% share of the global downstream space sector market (£37 billion per year) by 2030. This can only be achieved through the novel application of space technologies and earth observation data to new applications enabling UK business growth across domestic and international markets.

A review of space activity across Wales, by The Welsh Space Academic Partnership (WASP) in conjunction with the Aerospace Wales Forum and Welsh Government, identified The University of Aberystwyth and Environment Systems Ltd as key regional assets in the downstream sector in which the largest growth is forecast.

Bringing together the university’s expertise in space robotics, autonomous systems, remote sensing and big data the centre will support industry partnerships in the development of products and services with a particular focus on monitoring and situational awareness.

Professor Chris Thomas, Pro Vice-Chancellor Research at Aberystwyth University said: “I am very pleased to welcome the launch of ACSEM in partnership with Environment Systems Ltd. The centre builds on a long history of excellent remote sensing and space science at Aberystwyth but will now drive new interdisciplinary research across the University and into the commercial sector. For example, ACSEM will be working with our new £40m Aberystwyth Innovation and Enterprise Campus and the National Plant Phenomics Centre, to develop field and landscape-scale applications in agri-biotechnology, working with our researchers and commercial partners. The University has had a long and productive relationship with Environment Systems and it is a pleasure to see this develop further with the launch of ACSEM.”