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Space-Comm Expo to Host British Spaceport Leaders in UK First Panel

Air June 11, 2021

Space-Comm Expo, the UK’s first event dedicated to the commercialisation of space, has announced it will be hosting the first public panel discussion between four of the seven potential UK spaceports at its inaugural event at Farnborough International on 7-8 July 2021.

Chaired by Ian Annett from the UK Space Agency and featuring Nik Smith of Lockheed Martin, the exclusive session will bring together Melissa Thorpe from Spaceport Cornwall, Yvette Hopkins from Shetland Space Centre, John Whalley from Space Wales Leadership Group and Roy Kirk from Space Hub Sutherland. They will share updates on their progress, plans and aspirations for the future – delving into the current challenges in developing sustainable long-term prospects, and their aims to support a step change in the economic impact of UK space services.

Building on the discussion, Ian and John will also provide additional perspectives on the role of space hubs in the UK, sharing their aspirations and strategy for the future of UK spaceflight.

“We’re thrilled to be welcoming representatives from four of the UK’s potential spaceports at our inaugural event, and are excited to learn more about their plans for the future,” commented Rob Sherwood, Managing Director of Hub Exhibitions. “The commercialisation of space is evolving rapidly and we are entering a truly exciting chapter. The UK space sector is worth £16.4bn to the UK economy, making this a strategically important point in time for UK. With the unique spaceports panel, along with keynotes provided by our other speakers, Space-Comm Expo will provide attendees with a comprehensive view of the UK space industry – past, present and future – to help us take the next giant leap for mankind as we come together to shape the future of the industry.”

As well as the spaceport teams, attendees at Space-Comm Expo will have access to over 40 different speakers at the event, all ready to impart knowledge and inspiration to attendees. Highlight sessions include:

·        Helen Sharman OBE will provide the opening keynote. She will share her experiences from a career and life in space, including what it was like to be the first Brit in space back in 1991

·        Graham Turnock, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, will deliver the opening address on day one of the conference alongside Kevin Craven, the interim CEO of ADS

·        Air Vice Marshal Harvey Smyth, Head of the UK’s Space Directorate within the Ministry of Defence, will open day two of the event. Air Vice Marshal Smyth will be discussing the future defence space policy and strategy, sharing thoughts for cross government and international coordination

·        Elodie Viau from the European Space Agency will lead a panel discussion on the increasing role of space in everyday life

·        Rajeev Suri, CEO of Inmarsat will lead a panel discussion on the global benefit from growth in the UK space sector

·        Paul Day from Raytheon UK will take a look at the integration necessary for Multi-Domain Command and Control

·        Lisa Campbell, president of the Canadian Space Agency, will share future plans for the Canadian space program and industry

The event has received great Government support, with confirmed attendance from the Crown Commercial Service (CSS) & Cabinet office, UKSA, DSTL, and DIT.

Alongside the expert insight sessions, attendees at Space-Comm Expo will be able to benefit from access to over 70 exhibitors across space, aerospace, and defence. There will be a dedicated small sats and downstream theatre, and several roundtable discussions providing an open forum to discuss issues within the industry and how to tackle them. Attendees will also be able to learn what it takes to fly the Soyuz, thanks to the onsite Soyuz Simulator provided by The British Interplanetary Society.

Space-Com Expo is sponsored by Airbus, BAE Systems, CGI, Leonardo, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon UK, and Telespazio.

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Post written by: Matt Brown