The North East Space Skills and Technology Centre (NESST)

The North East Space Skills and Technology Centre (NESST) is a state of the art £50M facility. NESST houses world-leading space experts, uniting industry with academia and transforming the UK space economy.

NESST is expected to directly support the creation of over 350 jobs while injecting over £260 million into the North East economy over the next 30 years.


The facility will play a critical role in the government’s levelling-up agenda and will act as a catalyst for the wider development of the UK space sector in the North East region.


Read more about the NESST facility on the Northumbria University website with the link below.

NESST
Hub for Innovation

A Hub for Space Innovation, Skills, and Collaboration.

With an initial investment of £630,000, we are partnering with Northumbria University to support the development of skills, research, and technology.


Collaborating with the UK Space Agency, this represents a key element of our commitment to driving innovation and growth in the North East.

Lockheed Martin will allow us to supercharge our work with the regional space ecosystem, working with SMEs and other companies in the UK.
Professor John Woodward
Pro Vice-Chancellor, Engineering & Environment, Northumbria University

Investing in the future of the UK

We focus our investments on high-impact areas and initiatives that drive meaningful change. In 2022, we committed over £15 million to space R&D in collaboration with academia across North East England. This funding supports research, space technology development, skill-building, and STEM engagement activities for the next decade.


Our ongoing projects, such as advancing space-based solar power and engineering satellite communication systems, are key to shaping the future of space technology. These investments demonstrate our commitment to the UK space industry, and our plans to expand our industrial footprint wherever we can.


Our long-term vision is for UK Space to be the global leader in growth and innovation.

NESST
Space Feature Stories   ___
Dec 04, 2025
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The role the space sector is playing in driving economic growth in the United Kingdom was highlighted this week at Space-Comm Scotland, the industry gathering held at Glasgow’s SEC.
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Lockheed Martin, global aerospace giant, announced today that its sponsorship of an innovative space-focused STEM programme is set to extend through 2026.
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Ryan, Systems Engineer at Lockheed Martin, shares his exciting journey of mentorship – supporting a talented team of young innovators at Durham University in the Race to Space competition.
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