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Contracts worth £19 million have been awarded for the first of the major facilities for the National Satellite Test Facility (NSTF) which is to be built and operated by STFC’s RAL Space on behalf of the UK government.

The contracts are the first steps in meeting the UK space industry’s need for a set of co-located world-class facilities for environmental testing of space payloads and satellites. The three successful contractors will supply the large space test chamber, vibration facility and the combined electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and antenna measurement system.

Satellite test facilities at this scale, in one location do not currently exist in the UK. Once operational in 2021, the NSTF will provide the space sector across the UK with all the major testing facilities they need under one roof, without incurring expensive international shipping costs.

The NSTF will expand and complement the existing RAL Space facilities at the heart of the Harwell Space Cluster. This major national infrastructure will support the UK’s space sector as it seeks to capitalise on the estimated 3,500-10,000 satellites that are due to be launched by 2025.

Sean Stewart, NSTF Project Manager, RAL Space said, “Alongside the existing RAL Space assembly, integration and validation facilities, the NSTF will put all the test equipment needed by industry and academia in one place and accessible to everyone. Awarding these contracts is one of the early and hugely significant milestones towards building the NSTF.”

The large space test chamber will be built by Angelantoni Test Technologies and delivered in 6 large loads to be assembled on site at the NSTF. With an internal, usable size of 7m diameter by 12m long, the chamber will be the largest of its kind in the UK and amongst the giants of Europe. It has a temperature range of 95K to 400K, providing the conditions needed to test a variety of complex science missions as well as commercial satellites for Earth orbit.

The combined electromagnetic compatibility and antenna measurement system will be provided by a consortium led by NSI-MI Technologies LLC. This facility will provide an electrically clean environment so that a satellite's electromagnetic emissions can be accurately measured. It will also contain a planar near-field scanner to measure the performance of antennas used for communications between the satellite and ground stations.

Team Corporation will build the vibration facility, capable of testing satellites up to 7 tonnes using two electro-dynamic shakers. To realistically simulate the mechanical loads experienced during a rocket launch, one shaker will operate in the vertical plane (Z axis), while the other will operate horizontally (X and Y axes). Each shaker is capable of developing 222 kN (50,000 lbs. force) of thrust.

These major facilities will be joined by capabilities for testing for centre of gravity and moments of inertia, pyro-shock and acoustic testing.

The UK government is investing £99 million to build the NSTF as part of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund to support UK businesses and academia as they bid for more national and international contracts to build bigger and more technologically advanced satellites.

The main contractor for the construction of NSTF is Mace Group. Construction of the actual building is due to start in November 2018 and the build programme will run through to the spring of 2020.

STFC RAL Space

RAL Space is an integral part of the Science and Technology Facilities Council's (STFC) Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL). RAL Space carries out world-class space research and technology development with involvement in over 210 space missions.

RAL Space website | RAL Space Twitter

National Satellite Test Facility

STFC RAL Space has been awarded £99 million from the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund to develop the National Satellite Test Facility (NSTF). The NSTF will address the need in the UK for a set of world-class, co-located facilities run by the experts, for environmental testing of space payloads and satellites up to 7000 kg. The NSTF will enable UK industry to bid competitively for more national and international contracts and ensure the UK remains a world-leader in space technologies for decades to come.

Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund

The Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund aims to bring together the UK’s world-leading research with business to meet the major industrial and societal challenges of our time. This is part of government’s £4.7 billion investment in R&D over 4 years.

By investing in and supporting UK businesses and researchers, the fund will ensure that research and innovation takes centre-stage in government’s Industrial Strategy.

It is delivered by UK Research and Innovation.