Airbus celebrates Stevenage as 'the centre of the UK’s major space activities' as it looks into what the future holds

Forward-looking and futuristic, the defence and space giant - which has called Stevenage home for more than six decades - is notorious both locally and further afield for its work in commercial aircraft, helicopters, defence and space.

Notably, around 25 per cent of all the world’s geo telecoms satellites start their life right here in Stevenage, before orbiting at eye-watering altitudes above the limit of our atmosphere.

The Aeolus satellite build at Airbus in Stevenage, which launched into space in August 2018 (Image: Max Alexander/Airbus)

Geo telecoms satellites do everything from direct to home TV broadcasting to transmitting news coverage across the world, as well as connecting aircraft and ships on the move – and providing WiFi connectivity to aircraft. And most of the brains, structures and designs are engineered out of the Gunnels Wood Road facility.

Robotics systems engineers showing PM Boris Johnson one of three prototype system testbed Mars rovers, during a visit to Airbus in Stevenage earlier this month (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Hailing our town as the "Cape Canaveral of the UK's space industry" and "one of the unsung success stories of UK science and technology", Prime Minister Boris Johnson highlighted the pivotal role of the town in keeping us safe, encouraging curiosity and innovating new world-leading technologies when he visited Airbus' Stevenage home earlier this month.

Richard Franklin, managing director of Airbus Defence and Space in the UK, paid tribute to the relationship Airbus has with Stevenage and its surrounding towns, and what a monumental impact each has had on the other, and the prospect of that relationship continuing.

Airbus’ Solar Orbiter in the final stages of integration in Stevenage (Image: Airbus)

He said: “Stevenage has played a leading role in the development and success of Britain’s space industry. From the early days of space exploration with the development and manufacture of the Blue Streak rockets in the 1950s, to the pioneering geostationary satellites produced in the late 1960s, to today’s amazing satellites and spacecraft – everything from Biomass which will measure the world’s forest from space to the ExoMars rover which is due to launch to the Red Planet next year.”

Bruno, the ExoMars Rover prototype, on the Mars test area at Airbus Defence and Space in Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage (Image: Airbus)

Bio-Clean room at Airbus Defence and Space's Stevenage facility, where building work on the ExoMars Rover - named Rosalind Franklin, which is due to launch next year - took place (Image: Max Alexander/Airbus)

A biomass satellite at Airbus Defence and Space's Stevenage campus (Image: Airbus)

“We have nearly 1,500 people working in our space business in Stevenage, some of the most talented and technically gifted people in the country. It’s their expertise and commitment that has given us our world leading position and helped us win major contracts, such as the European Space Agency mission Solar Orbiter that launched last year and will take the closest pictures ever of the Sun and help us understand more about solar physics.

"Stevenage is also a centre of excellence for geo-telecoms satellites that orbit Earth at 36,000 kilometres and give us live pictures from the Olympics or news reports from anywhere in the world, they even use telecoms satellites for the National Lottery!

The Space Craft Assembly Hall Andromeda Clean Room at Airbus Stevenage (Image: © EADS Astrium)

“For Stevenage to be the centre of the UK’s major space activities has taken long term investment and commitment – plus the entire team working together whatever is thrown at us. Having the Prime Minister open our new £35 million headquarters was fantastic recognition that we are home to world leading capability and expertise.

"We have been in Stevenage for more than 70 years, our factory originally made aircraft space parts, and with exciting projects coming up such as the Sample Fetch Rover that will help bring samples back from Mars, and the UK’s future Skynet 6A military communications satellite we intend to be here and growing for many years to come.

The Skynet 4 at Airbus Stevenage (Image: Airbus)

“A great example of this is our STEM Discovery Centre – a partnership with North Herts College and Herts LEP, where students come for interactive sessions to inspire them into science and engineering careers. Since being opened by astronaut Tim Peake in 2017, it is estimated that more than 27,000 key stage 2 students will have visited by 2022 with many having seen the ExoMars rover prototypes in action in our Mars yard."

And Airbus' shining portfolio of exports from its Stevenage hub - playing key roles in high profile space programmes including the Rosetta comet chaser and Venus Express - sets a high bar for what's to come; paving the way for a bright future for innovation, and for Stevenage.

Assembly of the Airbus Eurostar Neo at the defence and space company's Stevenage hub on Gunnels Wood Road (Image: Airbus)