Professor John Woodward
Pro Vice-Chancellor (International), Northumbria University
The North East Space Skills and Technology centre (NESST) will drive groundbreaking research, train the next generation of space scientists and support economic growth in the North East and beyond.
Delivered in partnership with the UK Space Agency and Lockheed Martin UK Space, the £50 million centre brings together industry and academia to collaborate on internationally significant space research and technological developments from its base on Northumbria University’s Newcastle city campus.
Uniting industry with academia
“NESST is the culmination of a clear strategic vision, resulting in significant investment in space research at Northumbria over the past decade,” said Professor John Woodward, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International), who worked with government, industry leaders and colleagues across the University to drive the development of the centre.
“The breadth of the University’s interdisciplinary space research is significant. From optical satellite communications, space weather and space-based energy to space law, astronaut health and earth observation, NESST will enable us to expand our work and serve as a hub for collaboration.”
Future-proofing the space workforce
As well as putting the UK at the forefront of key areas of research, NESST will also provide the specialist education and training required to meet the future workforce demands of the UK space industry, recruiting the very best students and upskilling those already working in the sector.
“In the North East alone, we estimate that we will need around 7,000 additional space experts in a variety of emerging fields in the next decade,” explains Professor Woodward. “From undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses and T-Levels, we will support more students to access training and education in the space industry.
“We will embed experiential learning into programmes to boost graduate employability. By attracting businesses into the University, NESST will provide live projects and placement opportunities for students while offering resources and talent to our partners. This vision for transformative education ensures that graduates are not only academically prepared but also industry-ready for the world of work.”
We’re fostering an important talent
pipeline for the space industry and are
committed to driving social mobility.
Initiatives promoting STEM careers
Working with schools and industry partners, the University is dedicated to promoting STEM careers by delivering initiatives such as Space Camp − a four-day out-of-this-world on-campus event attended by over 60 young people. Organised by Lockheed Martin and Viasat, the pupils were able to immerse themselves in the discovery of space through a range of practical workshops and projects.
“We’re fostering an important talent pipeline for the space industry and are committed to driving social mobility. Our ambition is to ignite aspiration, remove barriers and offer routes for people from all backgrounds to access and succeed in higher education,” adds Professor Woodward.
Driving growth regionally, nationally, internationally
NESST is expected to support the creation of over 350 jobs and inject over £260 million into the North East economy over the next 30 years. It is already becoming a catalyst for the wider development of the UK space sector in the region with a recent award of £2.5 million from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) creating the North East Space Communications Accelerator (NESCA) which will bridge the gap between space research and industry-ready products launching in the market, while delivering real place-based impact.
Professor Woodward reaffirms: “NESST will supercharge the space ecosystem by helping to develop supply chains for manufacturing; driving innovation, spinouts and start-ups; and enabling businesses in the North East and across the country to gain access to international markets, particularly the US through our partnership with Lockheed Martin Space. It sends a clear signal that the UK space economy is a brilliant sector to invest in, one which is vibrant and growing.
“I’ve described NESST to many people by saying we used to build ships on the Tyne, and now, we’re going to build spaceships. For me, this describes the natural evolution of the region’s industrial base towards the high-value industries of the future.”
