Last Friday, His Majesty King Charles III visited the UK’s largest space cluster today to officially open the UK Space and Defence Gateway, an initiative aligned with the principles of the Sustainable Markets Initiative’s (SMI) Astra Carta, a global framework launched by His Majesty, as Prince of Wales, to ensure the space sector supports a sustainable future.
The Gateway will be a dedicated hub for the space and defence sectors, driving national and global collaboration between government, academia, innovators and industry. It will focus on linking innovation to investment, building collaborative partnerships to shape tomorrow’s space and defence economy, and helping businesses to sustainably start, grow and scale in the UK.
The Gateway will be based in a new co-working and events space at the heart of the Harwell Space Cluster.
During the visit, the Sustainable Markets Initiative announced a partnership with the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus to advance the principles of the SMI’s Astra Carta and establish an investment council. The partnership will bring together leaders from across the space ecosystem to accelerate practical collaboration, innovation and investment in support of a more sustainable space economy. The Astra Carta Seal will be installed in the UK Space and Defence Gateway.
Other anchor organisations on the campus include the European Space Agency (ESA), which established a major hub for satellite communications and commercialisation at Harwell in 2009; the UK Space Agency; the ESA Business Incubation Centre; and the Satellite Applications Catapult.
The King then visited the Quad, home of the UK Space and Defence Gateway, where His Majesty saw demonstrations from fast-growing space companies Astroscale, Magdrive, Open Cosmos, Orbitfab, Oxford Space Systems and Space Solar, as well as from ESA.
The King met Gateway champions including Dr. Josef Aschbacher, Jim Stretton, John Abbott, and Doug Liddle – alongside other senior figures from government, industry, academia and the investor community.
To conclude the visit, His Majesty unveiled a plaque, made of sustainable material based on recycled plastic, to mark the official opening of the UK Space and Defence Gateway.
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Liz Lloyd, Space Minister said:
“The opening of the Space and Defence Gateway is a significant moment for the UK’s space sector, and His Majesty The King’s visit to Harwell underlines the vital contribution this cluster makes to our economy. His Majesty’s leadership through the Astra Carta has set a clear course for a sustainable and ambitious future for the industry.
We are committed to building the national capabilities that deliver better space services and create global export opportunities. I look forward to seeing the Gateway deepen the collaboration that turns world-class talent into real breakthroughs.”
Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth, chief of the Air Staff, said:
“Across the UK, innovative companies are transforming our understanding of what is possible in space. The Defence Investment Plan’s funding for space enables us to back these companies and help them deliver the technologies that now underpin our prosperity and security. We’re ready to work with industry, through this gateway, to keep space safe, for the mutual benefit of all nations.”
Dr Barbara Ghinelli, director of Innovation Clusters and Harwell Campus, UKRI-STFC, and founder of the UK Space and Defence Gateway, said:
“We were delighted to welcome His Majesty to Harwell today to mark the opening of the UK Space and Defence Gateway, aligned with the sustainability principles of Astra Carta.
The Gateway is not only a physical hub with access to multidisciplinary cutting-edge facilities – it is a new way of working which brings together civil and defence space stakeholders across government, industry, academia and the investment community to enable a clear pathway between innovation and scale-up and to deliver on national priorities.”
I look forward to working alongside our partners in the Gateway across the UK and internationally to help our businesses thrive whilst making a real difference to the world.”
Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, M.V.O. MBA, chief executive, Sustainable Markets Initiative, said:
“With the opening of the UK Space and Defence Gateway, we step into a future where ambition and sustainability journey together among the stars. Inspired by the Astra Carta, the Sustainable Markets Initiative champions innovation that serves our planet, promotes stewardship, builds enduring markets, and leaves a legacy of hope for generations to come.”
Dr. Josef Aschbacher, director general of the European Space Agency, said:
“We warmly welcome the UK Space and Defence Gateway as a new neighbour for ESA, whose UK base at Harwell houses ESA’s climate, telecommunications and integrated applications teams. We look forward to working together to strengthen Europe’s autonomy, resilience and ability to act, while fostering innovation and delivering tangible benefits for citizens.”
Professor Michele Dougherty, executive chair, UKRI Science and Technology Facilities Council, said:
“As a planetary scientist, the principles of the Astra Carta resonate deeply with me. I’m excited by the synergies and opportunities the UK Space and Defence Gateway will provide, including for UKRI Space, and look forward to seeing it harness expertise and ambition from across the space ecosystem to help secure a sustainable future for the sector.”
Dr Sarah Beardsley, director of RAL Space, said:
“Welcoming His Majesty The King to our state-of-the-art facility has been a real privilege. Pushing the boundaries of technology and testing satellites before launch means we can put innovative ideas into orbit to shape our future. The Gateway, driven by the sustainability principles of the Astra Carta underscore the importance of growing our space economy in a way that protects space and our planet as source of wonder for future generations.”
Jim Stretton, managing director of ARC Group, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, said:
“Harwell is a very special place, and it was a privilege to welcome His Majesty to the campus in the year of our 80th anniversary. The UK Space and Defence Gateway is an exciting new chapter for the UK’s space and defence sectors, and the campus joint venture is delighted to support it.”
Image: Ian Jones
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