Advanced Technology Showcase event - 5 March 2008

STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire, UK
Wednesday 5 March 2008
09:45 - 18:30

Nearly 200 people travelled to the prestigious Rutherford Appleton Laboratories in Oxfordshire during early March to attend the KITE (Knowledge, Innovation, Technology Enterprise) Club's first Advanced Technology Showcase.

This major event in the KITE Club calendar brought together academic and industrial organisations from the UK space sector, as well as companies from non-space sectors. A key aim was to celebrate British achievements in space technology innovation and help facilitate the use of these technologies in other applications and sectors.

Professor Colin Whitehouse of the STFC chaired the plenary session, during which representatives from the European Space Agency (ESA), the British National Space Centre (BNSC) and UK Space provided an overview of the UK space strategy and the role that space plays in the UK economy.

The afternoon session, chaired by Dr Ian Gibson of the BNSC, focused on the use of space technologies to secure the UK's critical national infrastructure. The keynote presentation from Patrick Wood, EADS Astrium, provided an excellent overview of how space-based assets are being used to support a range of both day-to-day and emergency services. A series of short presentations followed from Infoterra, LogicaCMG, Orbital Optics, the University of Surrey and VEGA and the audience were provided with examples of space capabilities being used to aid disaster relief, monitor and protect the environment, assist in national defence including threats by computer attack and more.

The associated exhibition was very popular and as many exhibitors as possible were accommodated within the venue. Numbers included more than 30 of the main industrial and academic players in the UK space community. Delegates were provided with a valuable opportunity to investigate the latest technologies and many exhibitors felt they had achieved good networking results on the day, with many worthwhile contacts being made.

Overall feedback from delegates showed that they appreciated the opportunities that were provided to network and the wide range of organisations represented.

Programme