Elodie Viau is the only female Director at the European Space Agency - she looks after Telecommunications and Integrated Applications and is also Head of ECSAT (European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications)

She talks to broadcaster Kim McAllister and space expert Dr Murray Collins about the Moonlight Programme and how ESA is planning to support missions to the Moon and Mars.

If you would like to visit the artists' space installation in Edinburgh, visit https://inspace.ed.ac.uk/

Great British Lift Off is a Connect production sponsored by The Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Data Driven Innovation Programme.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council part of UK Research and Innovation  is proud to co-sponsor The Great British Lift-off.
As well as leading on UK space missions, we support business-driven innovation, by opening our doors to companies of all sizes. We offer access to our facilities, equipment, expertise and networks to accelerate the route to market for new disruptive technologies up in space and down on earth. Your partner in space. 

For more about how we support business:

• Edinburgh: http://higgscentre.org/
• Harwell Space Cluster: https://www.harwellcampus.com/space-cluster/
• ESA BIC UK: esa-bic.org.uk

 Th Data Driven Innovation initiative is delivered by the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University for the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. We are an innovation network helping organisations tackle challenges for industry and society by doing data right to support Edinburgh in its ambition to become the data capital of Europe.

If you've ever wondered how space data might help your company - here are your answers!

Broadcaster Kim McAllister and space expert Dr Murray Collins chat to a European Space Agency ambassador, a space cluster manager and a project lead at an exciting space company.

Alan Cross can help companies apply for space agency funding, Dr Joanna Hart fosters the ecosystem in Harwell and Sonali Mohapatra is fresh from her PhD on the physics of black holes to develop quantum technologies at Craft Prospect.

Great British Lift Off is a Connect production sponsored by The Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Data Driven Innovation Programme.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council part of UK Research and Innovation  is proud to co-sponsor The Great British Lift-off.
As well as leading on UK space missions, we support business-driven innovation, by opening our doors to companies of all sizes. We offer access to our facilities, equipment, expertise and networks to accelerate the route to market for new disruptive technologies up in space and down on earth. Your partner in space. 

For more about how we support business:

• Edinburgh: http://higgscentre.org/
• Harwell Space Cluster: https://www.harwellcampus.com/space-cluster/
• ESA BIC UK: esa-bic.org.uk

 Th Data Driven Innovation initiative is delivered by the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University for the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. We are an innovation network helping organisations tackle challenges for industry and society by doing data right to support Edinburgh in its ambition to become the data capital of Europe.

The human race is making another mess - this time it's in orbit.

Broadcaster Kim McAllister and space expert Dr Murray Collins discuss the issue of space junk with experts whose work is suffering and with the entrepreneurs who are trying to solve the problem.

Andy Lawrence is Regius Professor of Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh and author of the book "Losing the Sky", detailing the problems of space junk.

Harriet Brettle is Head of Business Analysis at Astroscale UK, where they are testing technology to remove space debris and Ralph 'Dinz' Dinsley is founder of NORSS (Northern Space & Security Ltd) and surveying the sky to categorise the junk.

Great British Lift Off is a Connect production sponsored by The Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Data Driven Innovation Programme.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council part of UK Research and Innovation  is proud to co-sponsor The Great British Lift-off.
As well as leading on UK space missions, we support business-driven innovation, by opening our doors to companies of all sizes. We offer access to our facilities, equipment, expertise and networks to accelerate the route to market for new disruptive technologies up in space and down on earth. Your partner in space. 

• Edinburgh: http://higgscentre.org/
• Harwell Space Cluster: https://www.harwellcampus.com/space-cluster/
• ESA BIC UK: esa-bic.org.uk

In 2010 Murray was starting his PhD, Kim was starting a company and the UK Space Agency was launched.

Dr Alice Bunn explains how the priorities of the UKSA developed over the years and some of the hurdles they had to navigate.

Dr Carolyn Atkins also joins Dr Murray Collins and Kim McAllister to explain how she proved NASA wrong and showed you could use 3D printing to create mirrors for telescopes.

Great British Lift Off is a Connect production sponsored by The Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Data Driven Innovation Programme.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council part of UK Research and Innovation  is proud to co-sponsor The Great British Lift-off.
As well as leading on UK space missions, we support business-driven innovation, by opening our doors to companies of all sizes. We offer access to our facilities, equipment, expertise and networks to accelerate the route to market for new disruptive technologies up in space and down on earth. Your partner in space. 

For more about how we support business:

• Edinburgh: http://higgscentre.org/
• Harwell Space Cluster: https://www.harwellcampus.com/space-cluster/
• ESA BIC UK: esa-bic.org.uk

 Th Data Driven Innovation initiative is delivered by the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University for the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. We are an innovation network helping organisations tackle challenges for industry and society by doing data right to support Edinburgh in its ambition to become the data capital of Europe.

It's always fun to go back to where it all began.

Sir Martin Sweeting had no idea he was kickstarting an entire industry when he launched a small satellite in the early 80s.

The founder of Surrey Satellites - and first employer of Craig Clark MBE who went on to found Clydespace and start the Scottish space industry - chats to Kim McAllister and Dr Murray Collins about his incredible career.

Great British Lift Off is a Connect production sponsored by The Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Data Driven Innovation Programme.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council part of UK Research and Innovation  is proud to co-sponsor The Great British Lift-off.
As well as leading on UK space missions, we support business-driven innovation, by opening our doors to companies of all sizes. We offer access to our facilities, equipment, expertise and networks to accelerate the route to market for new disruptive technologies up in space and down on earth. Your partner in space. 

For more about how we support business:

• Edinburgh: http://higgscentre.org/
• Harwell Space Cluster: https://www.harwellcampus.com/space-cluster/
• ESA BIC UK: esa-bic.org.uk

 Th Data Driven Innovation initiative is delivered by the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University for the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. We are an innovation network helping organisations tackle challenges for industry and society by doing data right to support Edinburgh in its ambition to become the data capital of Europe.

Is there anybody out there?

Broadcaster Kim McAllister and space expert Dr Murray Collins talk to two of the architects of the James Webb Space Telescope; Professor Gillian Wright and Professor Jim Dunlop to understand how this next generation telescope will see back almost to the Big Bang itself...

Professor Gilian Wright is the Director of the UK Astronomy Technology Centre and Professor Jim Dunlop is Head of the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh.

Great British Lift Off is a Connect production sponsored by The Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Data Driven Innovation Programme.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council part of UK Research and Innovation  is proud to co-sponsor The Great British Lift-off.
As well as leading on UK space missions, we support business-driven innovation, by opening our doors to companies of all sizes. We offer access to our facilities, equipment, expertise and networks to accelerate the route to market for new disruptive technologies up in space and down on earth. Your partner in space. 

For more about how we support business:

• Edinburgh: http://higgscentre.org/
• Harwell Space Cluster: https://www.harwellcampus.com/space-cluster/
• ESA BIC UK: esa-bic.org.uk

 Th Data Driven Innovation initiative is delivered by the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University for the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. We are an innovation network helping organisations tackle challenges for industry and society by doing data right to support Edinburgh in its ambition to become the data capital of Europe.

Astronaut Tim Peake has inspired many Brits and space fans across the world - but the UK didn't support human space flight until 2010.

In this episode broadcaster Kim McAllister and space expert Dr Murray Collins talk to Lord David Willetts, arguably the architect of the UK space industry.

While in government as the Minister for Science, Lord Willetts renegotiated the UK's role in the European Space Agency - over breakfast in Naples! Listen to hear the full story.

The UK's new focus on space from 2010 also led to the establishment of incubation centres for space-related start-ups, so Kim and Murray spoke to Delyth Lloyd Edwards, business development manager at the European Space Agency's Business Incubation Centres (ESA BICs) to find out how companies are supported across the UK.


Great British Lift Off is a Connect production sponsored by The Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Data Driven Innovation Programme.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council part of UK Research and Innovation  is proud to co-sponsor The Great British Lift-off.
As well as leading on UK space missions, we support business-driven innovation, by opening our doors to companies of all sizes. We offer access to our facilities, equipment, expertise and networks to accelerate the route to market for new disruptive technologies up in space and down on earth. Your partner in space. 

For more about how we support business:

• Edinburgh: http://higgscentre.org/
• Harwell Space Cluster: https://www.harwellcampus.com/space-cluster/
• ESA BIC UK: esa-bic.org.uk

 Th Data Driven Innovation initiative is delivered by the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University for the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. We are an innovation network helping organisations tackle challenges for industry and society by doing data right to support Edinburgh in its ambition to become the data capital of Europe.

Following the huge success of their first two series - Edinburgh: Space Data Capital and Scotland's Secret Space Race, Kim McAllister and Dr Murray Collins are back and this time they're going UK-wide.

They begin with a big bang - a live link to the astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

Both Kim and Murray were key players in the project which brought schools from Scotland, Ecuador and Houston, Texas together to ask Shannon Walker and Kate Rubins questions about life aboard the ISS.

Also in this episode, they chat to astronaut Greg Johnson and Director of the Rice Space Institute, Professor David Alexander.

Watch the two hour event HERE

Great British Lift Off is a Connect production sponsored by The Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Data Driven Innovation Programme.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council part of UK Research and Innovation  is proud to co-sponsor The Great British Lift-off.
As well as leading on UK space missions, we support business-driven innovation, by opening our doors to companies of all sizes. We offer access to our facilities, equipment, expertise and networks to accelerate the route to market for new disruptive technologies up in space and down on earth. Your partner in space. 

For more about how we support business:

• Edinburgh: http://higgscentre.org/
• Harwell Space Cluster: https://www.harwellcampus.com/space-cluster/
• ESA BIC UK: esa-bic.org.uk

 Th Data Driven Innovation initiative is delivered by the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University for the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. We are an innovation network helping organisations tackle challenges for industry and society by doing data right to support Edinburgh in its ambition to become the data capital of Europe.

They're back for series THREE and they've brought friends.

Broadcaster Kim McAllister and space expert Dr Murray Collins are now sponsored by both the Data Driven Innovation Programme and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (part of UKRI).

Following the success of "Edinburgh: Space Data Capital" and "Scotland's Secret Space Race", the duo are looking to go even bigger - so they're starting off on the International Space Station.

Listen as they give a flavour of what series three will hold.

Scotland's Secret Space Race peaked at no 6 in the UK Science podcast charts - can they go even higher with this one? Subscribe now!

Great British Lift Off is a Connect production and is sponsored by the Data Driven Innovation Programme and STFC.

Follow Kim and Murray on Twitter - @kimmcallister @murraybcollins