10 Mar 2016
Calling all researchers interested in space technologies and satellite data
Do you have any research interests or ideas which may be relevant to small businesses entering the space sector (including applications utilising satellites for communication, navigation or earth observation)? If so we would like to hear from you.
The Enterprise Office is about to launch a project to establish a cluster of businesses working in a range of different sectors linked to the space sector; upstream (infrastructure and technology); downstream (direct space services) and the wider space economy (space-enabled value-added applications).
The ‘Space Incubator’ will include businesses based at the Advanced Technology Innovation Centre (ATIC). It will support early-stage companies, raise awareness of commercial space and space-enabled opportunities, build links with academic expertise and promote ATIC as a place to run a “space” business. A number of engagement events will also take place.
We would like to add a unique Loughborough angle to our incubator so that we can promote our relevant expertise and support businesses that will benefit from being located at LUSEP. We want to know about any research, interests or ideas that you have that would help us do this.
The range of potential technologies and applications is huge. For example, satellites can be used to:
- Create digital maps of farms allowing farmers to analyse soil composition and monitor crop health
- Monitor wind velocity and pollution levels
- Analyse carbon storage of a forest
- Measure ground movement to millimetre precision
- Provide a time signal to picosecond accuracy
- Spot road faults and monitor traffic flows
- Identify land use in a city
- Deliver reliable broadband to remote locations
- Track the flow of people & goods in and out of a country, city or building
- Determine the rate of water evaporation in irrigated crops
- Transmit high quality audio and video for telemedicine services in remote locations
- Be used by telematics systems to provide information on driver behaviour and vehicle performance for fuel efficiency/ delivery management
Opportunities in the upstream infrastructure and technology areas include systems and subsystems, materials, manufacturing processes, and systems integration for spacecraft, satellites and ground support.
Please get in touch as soon as possible with your thoughts and ideas – they will really help us to structure our project.
Email Pauline Graham: p.graham@lboro.ac.uk