Specifically, NESCA is a collaboration between Northumbria, Durham, and Newcastle universities, the North East Combined Authority, Space North East England, and the North East Space Leadership Group. There are also 14 industry partners as well, including Lenovo and Logicalis.
NESCA will focus primarily on the development of space communications technology.
The accelerator aims to help bring academic research together with commercial expertise to grow the UK’s national space ecosystem. For example, there will be an innovation fund. This will support promising ideas through the commercialisation process, from proof of concept to market.
It will be promoting the North East at national and international space industry events. And it will also be looking to increase public awareness of the space sector.
It will be working in partnership with the North East Combined Authority, led by North East Mayor Kim McGuinness.
Nesca
“The North East is recognised as a prime location for the rapid growth of space innovation, skills development, investment, and industry, which, if nurtured, will transform the industrial landscape of the region,” said project lead Professor Vincent Barrioz, of Northumbria University’s Department of Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering.
“NESCA will provide the structure and resources to ensure that innovation taking place in our universities is driven by, aligned with, and delivered in collaboration with regional partners to deliver place-based impact. Specifically, it will bridge the gap between space research and industry-ready products launching in the market.”
Building
Northumbria University is currently building a £50 million North East Space Skills and Technology Centre, with investment from the UK Space Agency and the space and satellite division of industry giant Lockheed Martin.
Durham University’s new £5 million Space Research Centre has a focus on sustainable space technology.
Newcastle University’s space research spans a number of its schools. For example, its EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Geospatial Systems. This trains PhD graduates and works with industrial partners.
Image: Northumbria University – artist’s impression of Northumbria University’s North East Space Skills and Technology Centre
