GROUNDWORK is to start later this year on the £2.5 million build of a ‘state-of-the-art’ telescope station at Heriot-Watt University’s Research Park in Edinburgh.
The Hub Optical Ground Station (HOGS) aims to demonstrate and test satellite quantum secure communications to counter cyber attacks.
The facility is a collaborative effort involving the Universities of Bristol, Heriot-Watt, Strathclyde, and York with space engineering expertise provided by the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s RAL Space Facility.
The optical ground station will further support research across a broad range of areas, including space situational awareness, astronomy, astrophotonics, and optical communications.
Heriot-Watt said the facility’s creation marks a ‘strategic shift’, as it looks to establish itself as a base to unlock new frontiers in cosmic research and innovation.
Professor Gill Murray, deputy principal of business and enterprise at Heriot-Watt University is now calling on more businesses from across the space technology sector to consider a presence within the Research Park.
She said, “Throughout its history, Heriot-Watt has been dedicated to addressing the evolving needs of employers. The burgeoning space industry in Scotland represents the latest frontier for which we are actively seeking to cultivate a pool of highly skilled graduates to propel innovation and research forward.
“Our Research Park will soon welcome a new multi-million telescope, following in the footsteps of industry leaders such as Celestia UK, renowned for their expertise in antenna systems for satellite tracking and who have already established their presence here.
“Positioned uniquely to cater to the demands of the space sector, our Research Park extends beyond conventional academic boundaries. The goal is to transcend traditional learning spaces and laboratories, fostering an environment conducive to groundbreaking collaborations.
“Any company that works in the space sector and who chooses to set-up here will not only have ease of access to Scotland’s capital and the central belt, but to our raft of talented students, keen to gain industry experience and employment.”
