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Unlocking Growth in the UK Space Ecosystem

The expansion of the space industry in the United Kingdom is supported by an evolving policy landscape. This landscape is founded on a close partnership between industry and government, and it is this partnership that, through the National Space Partnership, lays out a specific plan for the future of the space industry in the country.

In order to achieve an audacious national vision, the United Kingdom has developed its very first National Space Strategy, which will be revised in February 2022. This strategy pulls together the nation’s capabilities in science and technology, defense, regulation, as well as diplomacy. This plan lays out five objectives and the steps that the government, academic institutions, and private enterprises will need to take in order to accomplish them.

Benchmark Space Systems will leverage SA Catapult’s manufacturing and testing facilities.

Plans of Government Support for UK Space Regional Growth

Over the course of the last ten years, the space ecosystem has established itself as one of the UK’s industries with the highest rates of growth, therefore speeding advancement for businesses of all kinds across an increasingly diverse spectrum of industries.

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According to a statement made by the UK Space Agency the previous week, further government assistance for regional development would be provided to the sector since it has been identified as a vital factor in increasing the productivity of the UK.

Building on the Strengths of the Centers of Excellence

Satellite Applications Catapult, in partnership with the United Kingdom Space Agency, established a Regional Centers of Excellence Programme in the United Kingdom in 2014. The aim of the program is to coordinate activities and investments, as well as to extend their reach on a local level.

Free event held in Truro allowed people to chat to representatives from space and technology firms.

This is in keeping with the organization’s goal of speeding up the process of bringing new research to market by fostering collaboration between industry and academic institutions. Outside of our bases at the Harwell Space Cluster as well as the Westcott Space Business Park, a total of five centers were established in the beginning with the intention of assisting local businesses and start-ups. These centers were founded on novel concepts, some of which attempted to address problems that are actually encountered in the real world.

Excellence Centre of North East

The center’s goal is to use satellite applications to make the world a safer place, namely in the areas of sustainable living and climate change, supply chain security, and infrastructure and asset resilience. Space awareness, as well as surveillance experts Northern Space & Security Ltd (NORSS), opened the UK’s first and only Orbital Analyst center in Durham with help from the center, as well as technology firm aXenic created ground-breaking components for the next generation of telecommunications satellites with funding from the center as well.

Excellence Centre of South Coast

The center, which is located within the University of Portsmouth, employs state-of-the-art technological developments in Artificial Intelligence, Earth Observation & Navigation, and Communications to expand satellite applications in the fields of transportation and autonomous systems, logistics, and offshore assets.

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For instance, the center has collaborated with Alcis, a company dedicated to bettering the lives of the world’s most vulnerable people through world-class Geographic Information Services, and MercariRisk, an insurance company, to secure funding for a project using Earth Observation data on Columbian farms for insurance purposes.

Skyrora ground rocket system test. (Image credit: Skyrora)

The Objectives of the United Kingdom in Space

Boost the level of development of our space economy.

Encourage the ideals that Global Britain stands for.

Create ground-breaking new scientific discoveries and serve as a national role model.

Ensure the safety and security of our national interests in space and across it.

Put the resources of space to work for the people of the UK and the rest of the world.

How the United Kingdom Plans to Meet the Goal

Unlocking the potential for expansion in the space industry.

Working together with partners from other countries.

Developing the United Kingdom into a global leader in science and technology.

Creating space capabilities and services that are resistant to disruptions.

Government Ministers go to the Spaceport Before the First UK Launch

During the 8th of November 2022, government leaders traveled to Spaceport Cornwall in preparation for the first satellite launch from British soil, which will take place later this month.

Spaceport Cornwall received a license to launch with Virgin Orbit. (Image credit: Spaceport Cornwall)

The United Kingdom’s George Freeman, Science Minister, & Jesse Norman, Transport Technology Minister, met with those responsible for the mission and got an up-close look at Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rocket & its carrier aircraft, Cosmic Girl. The rocket and aircraft will launch from Spaceport Cornwall.

In addition, ministers were given a tour of the brand-new Space Systems Integration Facility at the spaceport. This facility is the first of its type to be constructed at a spaceport in the UK. It is here that the satellites are being prepared for launch by being integrated into the rocket. By the year 2030, Spaceport Cornwall will be responsible for the creation of 150 direct employment and 240 indirect jobs.

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Transport Minister Jesse Norman said:

Because the United Kingdom has one of the world’s leading space industries, the first commercial space launch from our shores will be a watershed event for the whole transportation industry.

Named “Start Me Up” in honor of one of the most famous bands to ever come out of the United Kingdom, the Rolling Stones, this mission will not only be the first orbital launch from the United Kingdom, but also the first commercial launch from Europe & the first international launch for Virgin Orbit.

Virgin Orbit Boeing 747 named Cosmic Girl. (Image credit: Virgin Orbit)

Separately last month, the modified Boeing 747 known as “Cosmic Girl” and the rocket known as “LauncherOne” flew into Cornwall, with the latter now installed beneath the wing of the former.

George Freeman, Minister of Science, said:

Launching a satellite from Spaceport Cornwall will be a huge step forward for the UK’s burgeoning commercial satellite & space industry. Space Forge, Surrey Satellites, Inmarsat, Astroscale, Open Cosmos, as well as the flourishing Scottish space cluster are just some examples of the fast-growing businesses that contribute to this dynamic sector, which is one of the most innovative in the country and a source of new employment opportunities across the country.

Building on our existing strengths in areas like space manufacturing, in-flight manufacturing, satellite as well as debris retrieval, launch licensing, insurance, and finance, we can establish the United Kingdom as the leading European base to launch small satellites, which will generate employment opportunities across the country, stimulate economic growth, and entice foreign investment.

Artist’s impression of ForgeStar-0 satellites that will be launched by Virgin Orbit.

How do Altair Enterprises’ initiatives add value to the growth of the UK Space Ecosystem?

Altair Enterprises will provide you with a comprehensive knowledge of the NewSpace business as well as courses about the design of spacecraft and launch vehicles, space applications, EO technology, space legislation, and a variety of other space-related topics.

Being on the forefront of space education, Altair Enterprises is dedicated to enabling individuals to acquire space-specific skillset and knowledge to pursue careers in the industry or create new innovative startups, hence fostering the growth of the NewSpace economy.

Through organizing annual International Space Conventions, Altair also plants the seeds for international cooperation and facilitates the conversations about the existing issues and how the industry should collectively approach them.

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Financial Outlook on Space Activities

Financial Outlook on Space Activities

Since humans last left footprints on the moon, over half a century has passed. Throughout that time, the primary focus of human space travel has been on human-crewed missions to low-Earth orbit and unmanned scientific investigation.

But today, with high levels of private investment, technological breakthroughs, and increased interest from the public sector, the cry to look toward the stars is being given a fresh lease on life. The commercial space business is consistently the subject of a significant amount of hype.

However, even though those in charge of technology have promised us bases on the moon and communities on Mars, the space economy has, up to this point, remained very local, at least in a cosmic sense.

Artist’s impression of ispace’s lander on the moon. (Image credit: ispace)

The year before, on the other hand, we passed a significant milestone: For the very first time in the annals of human history, people traveled into space on a vehicle that was neither constructed nor owned by any government but rather by a private company with aspirations of establishing low-cost communities in the area.

It was the first big step towards the goal of constructing an economy not just in space but also for freedom. It is challenging to overvalue the effectiveness of the consequences, particularly concerning business, public policy, and society in general.

The Economy of Space on a Global Scale

Shortly, the space industry as an investment subject is anticipated to influence various businesses outside the aerospace and defense sectors, including the information technology hardware and telecommunications sectors.

The present value of the global space business is estimated to be $350 billion; however, Morgan Stanley predicts that by 2040, it might produce more than one trillion dollars or even more income.

Nevertheless, access to broadband Internet through satellite could present the most critical potential in the near and medium terms. A good number of us have, for a very long time, harbored the desire to go to places beyond the confines of planet Earth, capacity to do so has been constrained by factors such as the expense and the risk involved.

SpaceX’s CRS-26 cargo mission to the ISS. (Image credit: SpaceX)

In addition, technological development still needed to move to where it was feasible to do business in space or engage in such activities. However, this appears to be shifting due to several companies now firmly consigning those constraints to the past and making it feasible for humans to reach the “last frontier.”

As a result, space investors have access to an ever-increasing variety of chances that could bring them a significant financial return. The term “space economy” has been used more often, so financing for space enterprises has skyrocketed.

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And because NASA is now relying more on private companies to supply a range of services, the possibilities for businesses focused on space have never been better than they are right now. The last calendar year was the most financially successful 12 months for the space industry ever.

Spaceport Cornwall is ready to host a Virgin Orbit launch. (Image credit: Spaceport Cornwall)

According to research just recently published by Space Capital, an early-stage venture capital (VC) firm based in New York City that invests exclusively in space-based technologies, venture capitalists invested a record $17.1 billion into 328 space companies in 2021.

This represented a sizeable 3 percent of total global venture-capital flows. Another 14.7 billion dollars was invested into 134 space companies in the fourth quarter, according to the findings of Space Capital, which indicates that over a quarter of a trillion dollars ($252.9 billion) of equity investment has been pumped into 1,694 different space-economy companies over the last ten years.

2021 was also a record-breaking year for investment in the space industry, with $46.3 billion in cash pledged across all space-technology stacks. The investment in space infrastructure came in first, with a total of 14.5 billion dollars. This is a 50 percent increase over the previous record achieved in 2020.

In the next ten to twenty years, Wall Street and other forecasting groups anticipate that the value of the space economy will amount to multiple billions of dollars. For instance, Goldman Sachs expects that the industry will expand to around one trillion dollars by the year 2040, which is congruent with the predictions made by Morgan Stanley.

Space Perspective’s MS Voyager “marine spaceport”. (Image credit: Space Perspective)

However, Bank of America Merrill Lynch is even more optimistic and forecasts that the industry will increase past $3 trillion within the same period. The United States Chamber of Commerce predicted in October 2018 that this industry will grow from around $385 billion to at least $1.5 trillion by 2040.

That would equate to around 5 percent of U.S. GDP, but not all the proceeds would accrue to the United States.” This estimate was arrived at by using a growth rate of 6% per year, comparable to the rate of increase seen over the previous ten years.

Increasing Attention From the Public Sector

In recent years, private equity initiatives have received the majority of media attention; nevertheless, interest from the public sector has also increased. In December 2019, the administration of Donald Trump formed the U.S.

With the passage of part of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2020, the United States military will have a Space Command, including a Space Operations Force and a Space Development Agency.

This breakthrough will probably be to the United States’ advantage. The United States Department of Military, in addition to the aerospace and defense sectors, assists in concentrating and accelerating investment in cutting-edge technological capabilities and capabilities.

A Rocket Lab Electron booster launches 34 satellites to orbit on May 2, 2022. (Image credit: Rocket Lab)

After that, in May 2020, NASA will launch a human-crewed mission to the International Space Station (ISS) using a rocket created for commercial use in the United States.

The launch was the first time the United States has established a crewed task to the International Space Station (ISS) since the shuttle program’s retirement in 2011. The space industry also marks a significant turning point in the working relationship between the private sector and the government of the United States.

Conclusion

The one-of-a-kind mission that NASA has undertaken brings large and small rewards. The expenditure of money on space exploration results in employment, the launch of new enterprises, and the economy’s expansion.

Ideas help make day-to-day living better, boost medical research, and assist emergency response efforts, among other things.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of effects does space exploration have on the economy?

It also discusses the numerous, distinct, diverse, and far-reaching economic impacts that were generated due to space exploration.

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Some examples of these impacts include accelerating technological advancements, growing new industries and scientific fields, and expanding economic activity in cities and surrounding regions.

Why Keep Funding Space Exploration?

Exploring space presents the possibility of finding uncharted worlds and developing cutting-edge technology and the chance to collaborate with people of other nationalities, races, and genders to accomplish a more important objective. If we stop exploring, we cease being human.

How Does the Industry That Deals With Space Earn Money?

SpaceX generates revenue by charging commercial and government clients to send their products into space. Not only do these items consist of people and satellites for various uses, but they also contain ISS supplies and infrastructure.

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Artemis Mission: The Great Return to The Moon

Artemis Mission: The Great Return to The Moon

NASA has plans to make Artemis III the first human mission to anchor on the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972, although there is a good chance that this mission will be delayed. The new target date is 2025.

The purpose of sending astronauts back to the Moon is to create a base there that can serve as a transit hub for human trips to Mars. NASA will make history by sending a female and an individual of color to the Moon as part of its Artemis missions. These missions will also use cutting-edge technology to investigate an unprecedented amount of the lunar surface.

NASA’s Artemis 1 on the Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center. (Image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett)

Why is the program called Artemis?

Artemis was a Greek mythical figure who was worshiped as the goddess of the Moon. She was Apollo’s twin sister. Therefore, it is abundantly evident that there is a connection with the expedition that first took people into lunar orbit fifty years ago. Orion is the name given to the crewed spaceship that is presently in the process of being developed. Orion is a well-known constellation in the night sky, and in classical mythology, he is Artemis’s hunting partner. Orion is also one of the most identifiable constellations in the sky.

Primary goals of Artemis mission:

Equality.

A primary objective of Artemis is to successfully land a woman and a person of color on the cover of the Moon for the only time.

Technology.

The technologies now being developed aim to prepare the path for future deep-space missions. These technologies range from rockets to spacesuits.

Partnerships.

One of NASA’s first large-scale partnerships with private corporations like SpaceX and Boeing, the Artemis program is an example of this kind of partnership.

Long-term presence.

Where the Apollo 17 crew stayed on the lunar surface for three days, the Artemis team plans to create a base so that future expeditions may last for weeks or even months.

Knowledge.

NASA argues that the following sequence of missions will be able to gather samples from the Moon more strategically than they were able to do during the Apollo period since more information about the Moon is known today compared to 50 years ago and technology has significantly evolved.

Resources.

The finding of water and the possibility of reserves of rare minerals on the Moon offer promise for future investigation and utilization in the fields of science and the economy.

Why go back to the moon?

As seen by the accomplishment of the International Space Station, NASA and its partners have made significant headway in the decades following the Apollo mission. Since 1998, people have been living and performing on the International Space Station (ISS).

However, it is just 400 kilometers (250 miles) above the planet’s surface. In comparison, the distance to the Moon is 250,000 miles, while the distance to Mars is 140 million miles. Returning to the Moon is the next step that makes the most sense for humankind to create a more permanent presence beyond low Earth orbit, which is where the ISS is now positioned. There are many compelling reasons to go back in time, or as you may have overheard say, to travel to the Moon in the future. In 2019, former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine addressed a letter to Congress.

How will NASA get back to the Moon?

The Artemis Moon missions are comprised mainly of the following four subcomponents.

These are the following:

Orion transporter spaceship.

ESA’s Orion space capsule module for the Artemis mission. (Image credit: NASA)

Crew, command, and service modules of the Orion spacecraft | Source: NASA (June 2022) Orion is the command module that is required to carry people across space. It is outfitted with life support equipment as well as shuttle interfaces.

Lunar gateway.

The Lunar Gateway is a compact space station that orbits the Moon and is intended to serve as a versatile staging ground for exploration missions on and beyond the Moon.

Illustration of NASA’s Orion spacecraft approaching the Gateway in lunar orbit. (Image credit: NASA)

After the Orion module has completed its docking procedure with Gateway, the astronauts will go to the lunar landing module from this location. In contrast to the International Space Station (ISS), the Lunar Gateway will not be continuously inhabited. Instead, it would function as a platform where astronauts may dwell and conduct research for a limited time. Additionally, it can carry out scientific studies even during human visits to the Moon.

NASA is now collaborating with several international partners, including the European Space Agency, to develop the blueprints for the Lunar Gateway.

Moon landing module.

The Lunar Gateway will serve as the starting point for the journey of the lunar landing vehicles that will transport personnel and goods to the surface of the Moon. Both a human landing system, often known as HLS, and a range of other vehicles for robots and freight are currently being developed by NASA in collaboration with private businesses.

Artist’s concept of a moon landing for the NASA’s Artemis program. (Image credit: NASA)

The Lunar Module that Apollo employed was only intended to be used for a single trip back to the surface of the Moon. On the other hand, the landing mechanisms that will be used for Artemis missions are intended to be used for more than one mission.

Space Launch System (SLS).

The launcher is the component that will be responsible for transporting all of these components beyond the atmosphere of Earth and into space. This extremely heavy-lift rocket stands at 322 feet, making it higher than the Statue of Liberty.

The SLS core stage raised in the Vehicle Assembly Building transfer aisle. (Image credit: NASA/Cory Huston)

It is projected that each launch will cost $800 million. When it is finished, the Space Launch System (SLS) will be the most robust rocket in the world. It will be even more potent than the Saturn V launcher, the first rocket to take humans to the Moon.

The development of the launcher has been going on at NASA for the better part of the previous decade, and the organization has had to deal with several setbacks and escalating expenses. At Kennedy Space Center, the rocket and spacecraft that were going to be used for Artemis I were brought to the launchpad in March 2022.

Mission timeline.

If the Artemis I mission were to lift off on November 14, the mission would be about 25 and a half days, and the spacecraft would splash down on Friday, December 9, in the Pacific Ocean. At the beginning of August, NASA announced that it intends to send the Artemis II mission into space in 2024.

Artemis 1 flight path to the moon and back. (Image credit: NASA)

This will be the first crewed task to go outside low-Earth orbit since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. As part of this mission, astronauts will perform a lunar flyby test. After that, in the year 2025, NASA plans to launch the Artemis III mission, which will bring a woman and an individual of the color of a distinct race to the surface of the Moon.

Despite this, there is a significant possibility that the mission may run behind time. It just takes time to be ready for such a massive undertaking. Since the commencement of the Artemis expedition, there has been a significant debate over the timeframe.

When US President Donald Trump in 2017 asked NASA to return to the Moon, the space agency at the time estimated that they would be able to do so by 2028. The government of President Trump proposed in 2019 a more aggressive pace to send humans around to the Moon by 2024. Since then, NASA has reported that the Artemis III mission will soon get off the ground in 2025.

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Business Opportunities in the Commercial Space Industry

Business Opportunities in the Commercial Space Industry

If before space was only a matter of scientific, political, or philosophical interest, the last twenty years have proven that this industry is now both financially viable and profitable from a business perspective.

As we speak, the space industry, or New Space, consists of over ten thousand private space tech companies, employs over one million people, has an annual global revenue of $420 billion, and is expected to skyrocket to one trillion by 2040. In 2021, total investments in space companies reached a record number of $17.1 billion, making up 3% of total global venture capital investments - a fifty percent increase from the preceding year.

One thing that accelerates new space growth is the availability of off-the-shelf components for satellites and other infrastructures. Online marketplace platforms allow space startups to find, assess and purchase space products, sub-systems, components, software, and other services from suppliers worldwide.

In other words, the space industry is in the pre-stage of exponential growth, and there will be no better time for taking action and becoming an early adopter or innovator.

They have published an eBook titled “Space Business 101: 7 Steps to Position Yourself in the Next Trillion Dollar Industry”, which contains their experiences of operating in the space industry and insights collected throughout the years.

What you're going to learn:

Creating a Winning Business Idea;

Sharpening Your Skillset;

Finding Compatible Business Partners;

Building an Adept Team;

The Power of Strategic Planning;

Dominating Marketing Campaign;

Scaling to New Heights.

This eBook is a free resource, will provide you with actionable insights for each step - from creating a winning startup idea to fundraising and scaling your business - and act as a guide to the success of your space endeavor, allowing you to effectively capture a significant market share in the NewSpace industry.

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How to Pursue a Career in the Space Industry?

Having a space career is an exciting journey. Taking part in projects and solving issues that are of world-changing importance as broad as enabling the exploration of the universe and scientific discoveries, to improving services and quality of life on Earth.

While the media and stories most of the time showcase astronauts as the most common space-related career path, that is hardly the case. In fact, out of over one million professionals that the space industry employs today, just over 600 have been in space.

Space careers consist of technical and non-technical segments. The technical segment consists of all types of engineering jobs:

Aerospace engineering;

Cybersecurity;

Telecommunication engineering;

Software engineering;

Statistical engineering;

GIS engineering;

Mechanical engineering;

Electric engineering project control;

Software engineering;

Payload integration engineering;

etc.

While non-technical careers include:

Financial administration;

Communication;

Marketing;

Office support;

Human Resources;

Business development;

Sales;

Legal and regulatory fields;

etc.

Here are some of the actionable steps that can help you navigate your desired career choice and aid you in acquiring the skillset and experience that will help you stand out in the competitive applicant pool:

Step 1: Define Your Field of Interest

The first step will be to research the space industry and acquire an understanding of where it’s been and where it’s going. To this end, you can attend the International Space Convention 2023, and hear from over 150 leading companies and organizations as they discuss the uprising trends, technological advances, and issues in the industry. Additionally, you can subscribe to our Altair Insights Podcast, where joined with the industry’s most prominent experts, we decipher the success stories behind New Space companies and share insights about different segments of the industry and space business overall.

Step 2: Take Your Education to New Heights

Make sure to check out Altair Academy, where we offer a variety of courses from instructors from leading space companies and top-ranking educational institutions, providing you with a broad understanding of the new space industry, from spacecraft and launch vehicle design to applications, business models, communications, earth observation technology, regulatory and finance.

If you ever think about starting your own company in the space industry and would like to further deepen your understanding, download our free eBook — Space Business 101: 7 Steps to Position Yourself in the Next Trillion Dollar Industry.

‘’Space is for everybody. It’s not just for a few people in science or math, or for a select group of astronauts. That’s our new frontier out there, and it’s everybody’s business to know about space.’’ — Christa McAuliffe (American teacher and astronaut, STS-51-L mission)

Step 3: Engage in Volunteer Activities and Participate in Space Competitions

Consider joining volunteer-driven non-profit organizations for the space industry and participating in hands-on projects and competitions like NASA International Space Apps Challenge, University Rover Challenge, or others.

Step 4: Expand Your Space Network

To jumpstart expanding your network, you can attend free monthly webinars held by Altair Academy, where leading experts of the industry discuss topics from planetary defense by deflecting the asteroids, to Earth observation technology and space power.

Step 5: Submit your Application!

Altair Careers acts as a direct connection link between the industry’s top companies and professionals. By navigating through the Altair Careers Directory, you gain direct access to the hiring managers at the companies on the list, as well as getting to know their job openings.

Our platform allows you to submit your resume and display exactly why you are a standout hire, while our nurtured partnerships and astounding connections will give a boost to your search for the desired career in the space industry in the leading space organizations and companies, both nationally, and globally.

Stay on top of our jobs directory, as we are constantly updating new jobs.

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The Importance of Reusable Launch Vehicles

The reusable launch vehicles have finally decreased the cost of space exploration and opened many opportunities for space travelers. In 2020 the notion of re-using rockets had taken a new, more exciting turn, and there is no going back.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 is a two-stage rocket that can deliver payloads and bring humans into space. The Falcon 9 and the Falcon Heavy include lower rocket stages that may be returned upright to Earth or a drone ship in the ocean. Just before landing, four lightweight carbon fiber legs deploy, each with a shock-absorbing mechanism to cushion the impact.

''My vision is for a fully reusable rocket transport system between Earth and Mars that is able to re-fuel on Mars - this is very important - so you don't have to carry the return fuel when you go there.'' - Elon Musk

Starship became available around the mid-2020s, with potential for various applications including launching satellites and carrying cargo and crew to the Moon and Mars. Elon Musk also considers using Starship for the earth travels, shortening long flights to only one hour as the rocket can pick up a speed as high as 2700 km/h.

Blue Origin, a rocket company owned by Jeff Bezos, has also unveiled its first suborbital rocket – New Shepard, designed to carry passengers and payloads past the Kármán line to a height of 100 kilometers. The crew capsule will return to the ground with parachutes after an 11-minute journey. Blue Origin intends to incorporate reusability into their next heavy-lift rocket, the New Glenn, presently under construction.

The paramount importance of reusable launch rockets is decreasing the cost of space travel. Using reusable rockets rather than disposable hardware is mainly responsible for this reduction. While this lowers the barrier to space access and may open the door to tourism, obtaining a commercial seat is likely a high-end experience.

Recovery of the booster stage has taken several years of changes and testing, and recovery of fairings has also proven to be more difficult than predicted. Most sections of the Falcon 9 rocket, according to SpaceX, will last for 100 launches, while heat shielding and other parts will need to be changed every tenth mission. Blue Origin's New Glenn, on the other hand, is rated for 25 cycles. Parachutes, airbags, and barges for landing rockets on hard surfaces, as well as enormous nets to catch minor pieces like fairings, are all essential technological developments of reusable launch vehicles.

Learn more about the "Next Generation Launch Vehicles: Bringing Down the Costs of Access to Space" during the International Space Convention 2023!

Written by: Tinatin Tolordava

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International Space Convention 2022 - In Review

International Space Convention 2022 - In Review

International Space Convention 2022, organized by Altair Enterprises Ltd and held in Bursa, Türkiye during September 9-10-11, presented over a hundred high-profile speakers, ranging from government space agencies to private companies and startups, from 18 different countries covering over 80 topics including earth observation, smallsat markets, and launch campaigns.

The conference was a tremendous success and exposed leading companies and organizations in the industry like Maxar Technologies, Ariane Space, Spire Global, Nanoracks, CONTEC, NanoAvionics, European Space Agency, and others, to the local space activities.

Many great conversations and cooperation agreements took place over the three days ensuring both – acceleration of the growth of the Turkish space ecosystem that will bring the regional activities closer to the European and US standards, and planting the seeds for even higher involvement of youth in the space careers and business.

With the main theme of space sustainability, a huge emphasis was directed on the issue of monitoring and removal of space junk and the reduction of carbon emissions on Earth, once again undermining the dire threat that we as an industry should collectively focus on solving.

ISC 2022 Venue - Space and Aviation Training Center (GUHEM) – being the largest educational space center and museum in Europe, with over 140 aerospace installations helped give the convention the electrifying cosmic outlook, while Turkish traditional dishes and drinks served during the gala dinner and lunch breaks created a warm, business-friendly atmosphere.

We encourage all of you who missed the event to stay tuned for updates such as session recordings release and ISC 2023 announcements!

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International Space Station - The Symbol of Cooperation in Space

The most expensive human construction in history - this is how ambitiously the International Space Station is described. And what sounds even more driving is that ISS is a symbol of cooperation in space as it is not owned by one nation but by Europe, the United States, Russia, Japan, and Canada.

The International Space Station (ISS) is the world's most extraordinary peaceful, cooperative initiative ever planned and implemented by human beings. Since the space age began in 1957, it has been the most politically complicated space program. The ISS program began in 1982, with spacecraft assembly starting in 1998.

“Ideally, the ISS program will just be one more incremental step on an expanding, incredible journal of exploration and understanding, taking us higher and farther.” - Ron Garan

The International Space Station (ISS) took 12 years to build with support from 16 nations and has been populated continuously since November 2000. Over its lifespan, more than 2,400 experiments have been conducted by more than 230 visitors from 18 countries. The station's crew has logged over 1,300 extravehicular activity (EVA) hours on more than 217 spacewalks.

The International Space Station was planned in the early 1980s, long before the Cold War ended. The initiative was built on international cooperation, particularly among like-minded countries, although the United States would lead it. Its name, Space Station Freedom, emphasized the station's pro-democratic (or anti-Soviet) nature. It was meant to be a weapon in the intellectual war against Communism, demonstrating Capitalism's technological superiority.

After Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, there was turbulence in the ISS project. Tensions between Washington and Moscow have cast doubt on future collaboration. For example, the Russian leadership has indicated that they are considering discontinuing cooperation with the United States (Reuters, 2021).

The International Space Station was established during US worldwide political dominance, bringing together old allies and past foes under its command. When Russia's geopolitical interests became a factor, the program's stability deteriorated, souring the relationship between Washington and Moscow. Furthermore, the rise of China and other countries ushered in a shift in the balance of power, which was mirrored in space by China's lofty goals for its space program.

For more than two decades, the International Space Station has been a focal point in international politics, watching numerous events and changes on Earth, particularly in the political realm. With Russia's growing reluctance to continue the program and increasing technical challenges in recent years, the station's future remains uncertain. It was and continues to be a symbol of space collaboration, developed during worldwide post-Cold War optimism.

Learn about the recent developments around ISS during the International Space Convention 2023!

Author: Tinatin Tolordava