The Story and Promise of Scotland’s Space Industry

Three years ago, I moved from Brighton, England, to Glasgow, Scotland. It was a little daunting to move from the sunniest and queerest city in the United Kingdom, to rainy and cold Scotland. However, my first day in Scotland right away made me feel a sense of belonging that I hadn’t felt before.

I happened to join a friend attending a rally at the Glasgow Greens and as luck would have it, Nichola Sturgeon, the first minister of Scotland, made an appearance. I will always remember her first words, “People who have recently moved to Scotland, welcome! You have finally reached home!” To me, a global nomad, this was pivotal! This inclusive and welcome political messaging, in stark contrast to anti-immigrant feelings ramping up around the world, was downright inspirational. Scotland instantly felt like home, and I felt motivated to work to preserve my new home.

Known to be one of the friendliest places in the U.K., the Scottish are a race of warm-blooded people who will strike up a conversation and draw you in. Regular chats with taxi drivers in Glasgow became a cherished part of my life. Every time I was asked about my work, I would say I work in the thriving Scottish space sector and let the conversation then take on a life of its own. Each conversation had one thing in common: surprise, followed by pride.

Right after my PhD, I brought my quantum expertise into the U.K. space sector, and was amazed to see its breadth and depth in Scotland. Outside of the United States, this tiny, lush green country is one of the largest manufacturers of small satellites in the world.

Edinburgh and Glasgow, twin cities and friendly rivals, complement each other well. The former positions itself as the space data capital of Europe, while the latter is the heavyweight on satellite hardware and emerging tech.

Scotland is home to some of the world’s most innovative satellite manufacturers, such as Spire, Clyde Space, and Alba Orbital. New addition Mangata Networks, a U.S.-based telecoms company, is also setting up camp in Scotland with a promise of investing 10.5 million pounds into the Scottish economy. With market demand currently in favor of small satellites (which weigh less than 500 kilograms), Scotland is well placed to be a leader in the new space economy. In addition to this, five locations are developing launch plans across the country at the Prestwick Aerospace Cluster, Shetland, Sutherland, North Uist, and Machrihanish in Argyll. This will put the U.K. firmly on the map as Europe’s leading small satellite launch destination.

In addition to satellite manufacture and launch facilities, Scotland also develops the technical instrumentation used on these satellites, as well as the data processing required to make relevant products and services. Several emerging tech companies building innovative and futuristic payloads for these novel small satellites are dotted around Scotland.

Working across twin verticals of satellite onboard autonomy and quantum & optical technologies, Glasgow company Craft Prospect, for example, is leading the development of a cubesat-led IOD to demonstrate AI-powered quantum key distribution (QKD) which would lead to significant progress in global efforts to mitigate rising cybersecurity risks.

Edinburgh, on the other hand, is home to around 170 data science companies and is one of the largest centers for informatics in Europe. Unique companies such as Think Tank Maths harness the power of mathematics to provide real world insights from space data for decision-making in light of complex problems such as increasing space debris, sustainability, and the race towards a zero carbon economy. Other examples are Earth Blox, Astrosat, GSI, Omanos Analytics, Ecometrica, and Space Intelligence.

To round it off, the Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), a collaborative project between Scotland’s leading universities, is designed to establish and maintain Scotland as a world leader in physics research and push forward progress in space-related fields such as Astronomy and Astrophysics, which have been important fields of study in Scottish universities since the 18th century. As a recent example, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s MIRI (Mid InfraRed Instrument) camera and spectrometer were developed in Scotland. Scotland also led the development of gravitational wave research through both the LISA-pathfinder (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) and LISA missions. A strong university foothold in Scotland leads to a sustainable talent pipeline that supports the private sector. In turn, innovative technologies developed in universities also benefit from the high-growth mindset and commercial push from the private sector.

Evidence of this collaborative spirit is apparent with many companies being direct spinouts of universities or situated in university campuses — such as Fraunhofer CAP at the University of Strathclyde, which helps mature photonics technologies originating in the university, among others. The University of Strathclyde (Business School) and Heriot-Watt University also have global centers in Dubai, offering students a chance at overseas exposure along with world leading entrepreneurship support in fields such as robotics. A robust talent pipeline is key to sustainable innovation and Scotland has not shied away from funding “Knowledge Transfer” positions and “Impact Acceleration” awards by pinpointing highly skilled individuals who are able to bridge and translate between the twin pillars of academia and industry.

Scotland has the unique position of being able to provide the complete end-to-end supply chain of expertise in the space sector, allowing people from many different skills and expertise to be a part of this industry. This stance is further strengthened by the in-house space marketing and strategy firm, Astroagency, headquartered in Edinburgh, which supports more than 40 public and private sector space clients, including the UK Space Agency and European Space Agency Business Incubation Centres. In addition to this, members of the Scottish space industry have come together to form an umbrella organization called Space Scotland, which is a coordinating gateway to enable and promote the Scottish space sector as part of the wider U.K. proposition and a collaborative, inclusive approach. The organization is currently recruiting permanent staff to support the growth of the Scottish space sector and ensure alignment with the UK National Space Strategy. In conjunction with the Scottish government and the Scottish Space Academic Forum, Space Scotland has rolled out the first-ever Scottish Space Strategy, putting together a plan for the continued development of the Scottish space industry over the next decade. This ambitious strategy, which aligns with the UK National Space Strategy, aims to create 20,000 jobs in the sector over the next decade, positioning the country as Europe’s leading space nation.

Perhaps it makes sense that Scotland, with its rich biodiversity and national parks is also a torchbearer in the race against climate change. With its ambitious aim to achieve net zero by 2045, the space sector in Scotland leads this fight by using space data to inform climate change decision making. From measuring shrinking forests to telling us who is most affected by climate change, the space industry highlights environmental threats to our natural systems. Of course, there is a cost to getting this data in terms of propellants used, the distances its many components travel and even the tourist traffic launches generate. The Environmental Task Force of Space Scotland, led by University of Edinburgh’s Space Sector Lead, Kristina Tamane has rolled out a sustainable space strategy to address these concerns. Daniel Smith, co-chair of the task force and director of Space Scotland says, “Involving organizations such as Nature Scot and environmental group, Friends of the Earth, Scotland, that can guide the sector and even hold it to account makes the campaign unique.” The group is working with Scottish Enterprise, the commercial development arm of the Scottish Government, to produce a roadmap for a sustainable space sector, set to be launched at the IAC in Paris this September.

These efforts are bolstered by various organizations working together to use space and space related data/insights as a force for good. In one example, Omanos Analytics, a company based in Glasgow, combines Earth observation data with ground source data to track operations of infrastructure projects such as mining, logging, and rubber plantations. These are monitored for their environmental and community impact, especially in hostile and low-infrastructure regions with the goal of supporting sustainable development. In another example, Earthblox has developed a no-code-EO platform which enables non-experts to utilize the insights provided by satellite EO data, thus, bringing down barriers in its usability and advantage in critical decision-making scenarios. And in the launch sector, Skyrora is developing a method for making fuel from unrecyclable plastics.

Incredibly, according to a recent report, nearly a fifth of all jobs in the U.K. space sector are now based in Scotland, much more than the population ratio would warrant. It is important to understand that Scotland’s culture of inclusion and open-mindedness is what has supported this sustained growth. To ensure this is sustainable and more diverse voices can join this journey, Space Scotland has established the New Voices in Space working group. By ensuring that key skills and skill shortages are mapped out, key talent is nurtured, obstacles are pinpointed, and sustainable policies put in place to safeguard vulnerable demographics and empower everyone, the group is fostering an inclusive culture and harnessing the power of diversity into innovation.

A comprehensive DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) guidance document for senior executives of Space Scotland members is in the works and will be deployed on September 28 at the Higgs Centre in Edinburgh. The team has collaborated with independent DEI expert, Dr. Athina Frantzana and change management organization, Connect Three, to offer introductory diagnostic clinics followed by tailored policy writing and training services. In addition, the team is partnering with satellite companies to offer hands-on workshops at various schools in low economic zones around Scotland to nurture better access to space careers early-on and dispel various myths. Earlier this year, New Voices, in partnership with Alden Legal, helped roll out the U.K.-wide Prospero Space Fellowship, which will match talented students with experienced mentors in the Space sector and provide guaranteed internship opportunities in key talent shortage areas.

Since the launch of the first ever Scottish satellite UKube-1 in 2014, the space sector in Scotland, while young, has come a long way. Currently, over 130 organizations are located in this country. It is also the headquarters of 83 British aerospace companies. With a combined revenue of 140 million pounds (14 percent of the U.K. space economy), the Scottish Space Sector contributes significantly to the U.K. economy.

Working closely together with Scottish Development International and Space Scotland, Scotland’s Trade Minister, Ivan McKee, champions the Scottish space sector and supports initiatives which can further develop Scotland’s end-to-end space capabilities in order to deliver swiftly for the U.K. as well as the whole world. Its citizen-centric ethos makes Scotland a desirable destination for attracting and retaining international talent. In return, it benefits from the knowledge pool of the global workforce and this ensures that the country has assured growth. VS

Dr. Sonali Mohapatra is an executive member of Space Scotland and the chair of New Voices in Space. Starting in September, she is quantum innovation sector lead for the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC), leading quantum computing applications in sectors of space, AI, and healthcare. Previously, she has led business development in space-quantum startups and has been a part of the technical team of missions/experiments such as LIGO and ROKS. Sonali is a systems thinker and speaker, who contributes regular op-eds to various journals. Her poetry book, "Leaking Ink," was published in 2016.

Correction: This piece was updated to clarify that Alden Legal helped roll out the U.K.-wide Prospero Space Fellowship.

Photo: Glasgow from Queens Park / Ian Dick / Creative Commons via Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ian_d/32321524798