UK's New Westcott Space Hub Launches with £5.8M Boost for Innovation

The Westcott Space Hub has officially opened at Westcott Venture Park, a historic site with over 50 years of experience in rocket engine testing. The facility will serve as a key centre for the UK space sector, offering advanced testing, training, and commercial workspace. Backed by £5.8 million from the UK Space Agency, the project aims to boost local innovation and job creation.

The Hub provides world-class assembly, integration, and testing facilities, including a 10,000 square foot training centre. A shared vacuum chamber allows companies to test electric propulsion engines on-site. These resources help businesses develop new technologies without needing to relocate overseas.

URA Thrusters, a company specialising in sustainable spacecraft propulsion, has taken up space in one of the main buildings. Pangea Aerospace has also moved in, enabling other firms to access high-quality testing and development infrastructure. The project has attracted £15 million in private match funding, showing strong industry confidence in the UK's space ambitions.

The Westcott Space Hub is a collaboration between URA Thrusters, Patrizia Hanover Property Unit Trust, Skyports Drone Services, Westcott Shared Facilities Ltd, and Buckinghamshire Council. It is expected to create around 100 direct jobs and 200 additional roles in the supply chain over the next few years.

The facility will encourage partnerships between small and medium-sized enterprises, major industry players, and academic institutions. This initiative is part of the UK Space Agency's Space Clusters Infrastructure Fund (SCIF), which has invested over £45.6 million in 13 projects since 2023, with an additional £43.8 million in private sector match funding.

The Westcott Space Hub fills a critical gap in research and development infrastructure for Buckinghamshire's space industry. With its advanced facilities and strong industry backing, the site is set to become a major driver of growth in the UK's space sector. The project brings the total public and private investment in space R&D infrastructure to £89.6 million.