Some of the UK’s leaders in space technology gathered this week to demonstrate how cutting edge technologies originally developed for space activities are successfully transferred to terrestrial applications, having a wide range of benefits for both society and industry.
The SpaceTech 2010 event, hosted by the STFC Innovations Club and the European Space Agency (ESA), gave industry, military and government representatives looking for high technological solutions the chance to discover how space technology can benefit them.
Chris Bee of STFC Innovations Ltd, said, “SpaceTech 2010 has been a great success, providing a unique opportunity for the UK’s space technology groups to share their experience and knowledge with non-space industry and other organisations. By encouraging collaboration, we have seen the development of some amazing new technologies, products and services that have benefited both the economy and society. Improved car brakes, an instrument to diagnose TB, dirty bomb detectors and a special fire protective hydrojacket are all examples of where space technology has been successfully transferred to terrestrial applications.”
By encouraging collaboration, we have seen the development of some amazing new technologies, products and services that have benefited both the economy and society.Chris Bee STFC Innovations Ltd
The UK space community is at the forefront of development for advanced instrumentation and sensors and there is an enormous range of terrestrial applications for this cutting edge technology. As such, organisations have established special programmes to facilitate such technology transfer and commercialisations. In the case of ESA, technologies originally developed for space activities are transferred or spun-off to terrestrial applications through its Technology Transfer Programme. STFC's technology exploitation is managed by STFC Innovations Ltd. The STFC Innovations Ltd team progresses individual projects through various business models to the point of implementation as commercial licenses or spin-out companies.
Links
STFC Innovations (link opens in a new window) SpaceTech 2010 (link opens in a new window)
