King Charles visit to Harwell campus recognises space boost

The King was at the science and innovation campus on Friday to officially open the new UK Space and Defence Gateway.

Harwell Science and Innovation Campus is the UK’s largest space cluster, and the gateway will be a dedicated hub for the space and defence sectors, driving national and global collaboration between government, the academic world, and industry.

READ MORE: Popular astronomer died after crash with lorry

It will focus on linking innovation to investment, building partnerships to shape tomorrow’s space and defence economy, and helping businesses to sustainably start and grow in the UK.

The gateway will be based in a new co-working and events space at the heart of the Harwell campus Space Cluster.

King Charles visits Harwell science and innovation campus (Image: STFC/RAL Space)

Space minister Liz Lloyd 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.

“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.”

British astronaut Tim Peake with European Space Agency astronauts (Image: Andy Ffrench)

Following the launch, King Charles said to staff gathered at the campus: “I congratulate you for all your efforts and look forward to seeing all the developments that take place here over the years.”

Among the guests at the campus for the launch was British astronaut Tim Peake, who has visited the International Space Station.

For more than 60 years RAL (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory) Space has provided the specialist expertise that underpins space applications around the world, including earth observation work that supports action on climate change, biodiversity loss, and resilience to environmental change.

British astronaut Tim Peake with King Charles (Image: Andy Ffrench)

It has contributed to more than 200 instruments in space and has played a key role in establishing the UK as a competitive force in the global space economy.

RAL Space is one of the anchor organisations of the Harwell Space Cluster and a cornerstone of the UK’s space sector.

The cluster is Europe’s largest concentration of space organisations, supporting more than 120 public and private organisations, alongside more than 330 defence and security organisations.

King Charles visits Harwell science and innovation campus (Image: Andy Ffrench)

Dr Barbara Ghinelli, director of Innovation Clusters and Harwell Campus, said: “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 while making a real difference to the world.”

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.”