Goodman counts down to lift off with European Space Agency...

Goodman counts down to lift off with European Space Agency (UK)
Thursday 23 July 2009

Lord Drayson, Minister of State for Science and Innovation in the UK, has officially announced the establishment of a new European Space Agency (ESA) facility at Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, which is being developed by global property group Goodman.
The Diamond Light Source - Harwell Science and Innovation Campus
A new European Space Agency facility will be established at Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, UK, which is being developed by Goodman.
The establishment of the new ESA facility in Oxfordshire is a first for the UK and will capitalize on the country’s world-leading expertise in space science and technology. The ESA facility is expected to be a key element of a much wider vision for the future of the UK’s fast-growing space economy, through the creation of an International Space Innovation Center (ISIC) at Harwell.

The ESA facility will focus on three key areas – combining data and images from space satellites to create new applications for everyday life, climate change modeling, and the development of new technologies to explore the Moon and Mars.

A small number of staff will initially arrive to the existing Atlas Building in the autumn, based alongside the internationally recognized Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, to enable knowledge exchange and development to support the future ESA program. As the facility grows, additional specialized facilities may be built and included in the overall International Space Innovation Center.

Commenting on the announcement Dr. Sally Ann Forsyth, Director of Science Parks at Goodman said: “Harwell is a world class location for science and innovation, and the arrival of the European Space Agency underlines these credentials. Working alongside our joint venture partners we are building on Harwell’s rich history as a place that fosters open innovation and collaboration between businesses, research organizations, and academia. As a result, we are confident that Harwell will continue to attract major interest from other companies.”

Lord Drayson, Minister of State for Science and Innovation, said: “Today’s announcement recognizes our world-class strengths in robotics, climate change and innovative space technology, and re-affirms Britain’s place as one of the leaders in European space research and technology. By establishing a European Space Agency research and development operation in the UK we can guarantee that the economy and the public benefit from space technologies.”

Goodman is the development partner for Harwell in a joint venture with the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and the STFC. Goodman is working closely with these organizations to develop Harwell into one of the world’s leading locations for scientific, academic and business collaboration.

Future investment at Harwell will encompass fundamental scientific research and the development of property, facilities and local infrastructure. A minimum of 100,000 m² of laboratory, high technology industrial, and office accommodation will be developed in the first phase of the project. Up to 5,000 high value knowledge-based jobs are also expected to be created.

The entire UK space sector currently contributes £6.5 billion to the UK economy, supporting around 68,000 direct and indirect jobs. The recession busting trends of the space industry has enabled it to successfully ride the downturn, and it is also predicted to grow by an average of 5% per year until 2020.

The government is determined to help the UK maximize its world-leading strengths in the space sector. It recently announced the Space Innovation and Growth Team which offers a huge opportunity for the UK government to work alongside industry to define a clear plan – a 20 year vision – and develop a strategy for growth and employment.