Space
The Space industry
The UK Space industry is a thriving international business offering a range of career options. The UK is a world leader in space technology and science.
Careers in Space involve more than just space travel and might include working on a new satellite or developing technology to map a distant planet. Other career options include helping to make new discoveries about our Solar System or using satellites to study pollution on Earth.
Areas Included
There are a range of job opportunities in the space industry, including
Electrical and mechanical engineering
- Physicists
- Mathematicians
- Machinists
- Technicians
- IT and software systems experts
The UK is one of the world's leading manufacturers of satellites for communications, navigation and science. Direct broadcast satellites, digital audio broadcasting (DAB) radio and Internet services via satellite are among the fastest growing sectors in the space industry.
Information Technology is used extensively in the space sector for analyzing data, for example in weather forecasting, pollution monitoring and mapping; developing software to go onboard satellites and to control them from the ground.
Research institutes and universities offer many opportunities, ranging from positions building instruments to explore other worlds, to research posts investigating the galaxy around us.
What's it like working in the Space Industry?
Careers in Space will appeal most to those with an interest in science, engineering and mathematics.
- In total, the UK Space Industry supports 70,000 jobs
- The UK is currently involved in more than 20 space science missions.
- The space industry employs proportionally twice as many graduates compared with the economy as a whole.
- Scientists and engineers are critical to the success of the Space Industry. There are many ways to become involved in the space industry but most people come from a science, maths, engineering or IT background.
- There is a high demand for engineers across all disciplines.
Future Trends
- The Case 4 Space Report 2006 highlights that "space services and applications are key to strategic and economic development across the world".
- Satellites will play a vital role in this. Satellites provide broadcast television; mobile communications; data for farmers to improve their yields and reduce chemicals.
In 15 years the global space industry is forecast to be worth $1 trillion
Useful information
Human Spaceflight, Microgravity and Exploration
Society of British Aerospace Companies
British Council - Space industry in the UK
National Space Centre Education On-line
Occupations
Aeronautical Engineer
Electronics/Electrical Engineering Technician
Engineer
Electronics/Electrical Engineer
Maintenance Fitter
Materials Scientist/Technologist
Mechanical Engineer
Meteorologist
Physicist
Systems Engineer
