STFC: RAL SPACE
RAL Space carries out space research and technology development with the UK Space Agency, NASA and ESA.
What is RAL Space?
RAL Space carries out an exciting range of world-class space research and technology development. We have significant involvement in over 200 space missions and are at the forefront of UK Space Research.
What do we do?
Working alongside the UK Space Agency, who
co-ordinate UK civil space activities, we support the programmes and activities of STFC (the Science and Technology Facilities Council, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
and UK and overseas agencies, universities and industrial companies.
We work with space and ground-based groups around the world to:
- Undertake space research and technology development
- Provide space test and ground-based facilities
- Design and build instruments
- Analyse and process data
- Operate S- and X-band ground-station facilities
- Lead conceptual studies for future missions.
Much of our work is in collaboration with UK university research groups and a range of institutes around the world. Most of these collaborations have been set up to support European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA missions, although we are also working on projects with other countries and organisations including Australia, Japan, Morocco, Pakistan, Russia and the European Union.
RAL Space Facilities:
- The Chilbolton Observatory
- Satellite Ground Station Facility
- Concurrent Design Facility
- Assembly Integration and Verification Facility
- Chilbolton Facility for Atmospheric and Radio Research (CFARR)
- Electronics and Optics Facilities
- Molecular Spectroscopy Facility
- Precision Development Facility