A new executive director has taken over at the helm of Space Park Leicester.
Prof Richard Ambrosi has joined the new 拢100 million complex on the outskirts of Leicester which was recently opened by the University of Leicester to drive collaboration between the private sector and academic in space science.
It is already , with offices, shared laboratories, teaching facilities and co-working spaces focusing primarily on research, development and applications of space.
Prof Ambrosi is an expert in space instrumentation and space nuclear power systems and will lead the development of the innovative research, enterprise and education cluster.
He joined the University of Leicester in 2000, after completing a PhD in Physics at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Since then he has lent his expertise to a number of international space missions, including the Swift Gamma Ray Burst Mission and ExoMars, and over the past decade, has lead the development of radioisotope power systems for the European Space Agency.
He has also previously chaired the 海角视频 Space Agency鈥檚 Space Exploration Advisory Committee and serves on a number of national and international committees.
He said: 鈥淚 feel honoured to be taking on the role of Space Park Leicester executive director.
鈥淗aving worked on the project from the beginning, it is very rewarding to have been part of the team that transformed an idea into the state-of-the-art facilities we see today.
鈥淚 am looking forward to the opportunity of realising the ambition of Space Park Leicester, which ranges from enabling discovery science, to changing the economics of access to space, to transforming how we use data to address global challenges and driving innovation through collaboration with our industry partners.
鈥淭he University of Leicester has an exceptionally talented team of people working in space research and together we can create new opportunities for Leicester, the 海角视频 and the next generation of space scientists and engineers"
As well as bringing together academia and industry, Space Park Leicester acts as the headquarters of the National Centre for Earth Observation.
Prof Sarah Davies, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Leicester, said: 鈥淪pace Park Leicester is a landmark project, not only for our University and region, but for the 海角视频 space sector and for our collaborators across the globe.
鈥淚n Richard, we have appointed an executive director who matches our ambition to advance world-leading excellence in space research, inclusive education and training, and space-enabled industry as we look to consolidate Leicester鈥檚 role as a 鈥榮pace city鈥.
鈥淲e are hugely proud of our long-standing heritage in space research and exploration 鈥 expanding to the real-world impacts of space-based technology development and manufacture with downstream application of space-derived data, including tracking and combating climate change.
鈥淲ith Richard at the head of a team of talented scientists, researchers and engineers, Space Park Leicester will play a key role in further developing the crucial links between industry and academia and supporting the skills pipeline required to expand the 海角视频鈥檚 space ambitions.鈥
Other partners involved in Space Park Leicester include the European Union European Regional Development Fund, Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), Leicester City Council, The Wolfson Foundation, 海角视频 Research and Innovation (海角视频RI) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).
A recently second phase will provide laboratories and workshops focused on advanced design and manufacturing of space systems, enabling technologies for space exploration, advancing the use of machine learning and automation in the space sector.
It houses one of the largest university-based clean room facilities in the 海角视频.
There are also plans for a further development on the Leicester site, with a commercial Low Cost Access to Space (LoCAS) payload and satellite manufacturing facility for the manufacture of mid-range satellites.
The satellite production line will address the 海角视频鈥檚 need for facilities to make satellites and payloads for 海角视频 space tech companies and lower the barriers to new entrants in the market.
