What really happened at Spaceport Cornwall after the 2023 Virgin Orbit launch? Why, from an operational and regulatory standpoint, was the failed mission actually a success? How can spaceport infrastructure and segregated airspace be repurposed for high-volume drone testing, hypersonic flight, and returning spaceplanes? What is the true definition of "assured launch," and why is domestic launch capability crucial for national resilience? How is Cornwall evolving beyond its launch heritage into a multi-sector commercial technology ecosystem? 

Join Alice and Jonners as they talk to Ross Hulbert, Space Engagement Lead at Spaceport Cornwall, and discuss the realities of pioneering spaceports, mixed airspace regulation, local economic impact, and subsidising future space access.

Contributors:

Alice Bunn, President of UKspace 

Dr Alice Bunn OBE FIMechE FRAeS CEng | LinkedIn

UKspace: Overview | LinkedIn

Jonathan Daves, The Karman Line

Jonathan Daves | LinkedIn

The Karman Line | LinkedIn

Ross Hulbert, Space Engagement Lead, Spaceport Cornwall 

Ross Hulbert | LinkedIn

Spaceport Cornwall | LinkedIn

Key topics covered: 

• Spaceport Cornwall evolution & operations 
• Virgin Orbit launch legacy & technical learnings 
• Mixed airspace & BVLOS drone testing 
• Hypersonic testing & spaceplane recovery 
• Assured vs sovereign launch capability 
• Global launch bottlenecks & reliance on SpaceX 
• Space Clusters & Cornish economic growth 
• Subsidising space access for UK operators 

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What does "dual-use" technology truly mean? What happens when academia, industry, and government join forces at an institution like NESST? What connects the London Olympics and the MoD’s Skynet satellite system? And are policy and legal hurdles holding back the full potential of dual-use tech?

In this episode, Dave Moody - Director of the North-East Space Skills and Technology Centre (NESST) at Northumbria University - joins Alice Bunn and Jonners to explore the critical dual-use elements of space technology. From the First Gulf War to the London Olympics, space has, time and time again, quietly delivered essential capabilities. Is it time we start singing its praises?

Contributors:

Alice Bunn, President of UKspace 

Dr Alice Bunn OBE FIMechE FRAeS CEng | LinkedIn

UKspace: Overview | LinkedIn

Jonathan Daves, The Karman Line

Jonathan Daves | LinkedIn

The Karman Line | LinkedIn

Dave Moody, Director, North East Space Skills and Technology Centre, Northumbria University

Dave Moody | LinkedIn

Northumbria University | LinkedIn

Key topics covered:

Dual Use

Military

London Olympics

SkyNet

NESST

Northumbria University

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Does the UK still have its adventure spirit? With other countries getting the jump on UK launch, can the nation take advantage of the pathway forged in Cornwall? What commercial opportunities arise when the government plays a more active role in launch? Should a spaceport just be viewed as a normal piece of infrastructure, and how can it connect to its local setting? How can the space industry take on climate challenges head-on? 

Spaceport builder Melissa Quinn joins Alice and Jonners to talk launch, alignment, and whether the UK can get back into its groove as the rest of the world looks to take off. The powerhouse behind Spaceport Cornwall’s first launch and Spaceport Nova Scotia’s ambitious plans tells her inspiring story about achieving big things. This episode is a must-listen.

Contributors:

Alice Bunn, President of UKspace 

Dr Alice Bunn OBE FIMechE FRAeS CEng | LinkedIn

UKspace: Overview | LinkedIn

Jonathan Daves, The Karman Line

Jonathan Daves | LinkedIn

The Karman Line | LinkedIn

Melissa Quinn, Vice President Spaceport Operations, Maritime Launch Services

Melissa Quinn | LinkedIn

Maritime Launch Services | LinkedIn

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How have skill requirements in the UK space sector shifted from foundational engineering to critical system architects and project managers? How does a landscape of over 1,900 specialised companies compare to vertically integrated giants like SpaceX? What impact will the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and UK Space Agency (UKSA) re-merger have on scaling up space businesses? How can the UK leverage international partnerships and domestic "national champions" to accelerate defence and civil space capabilities?

Join Alice and Jonners as they talk with Andrew Stanniland, Managing Director of MDA Space UK, about building talent pipelines that reward new visions and ideas, defence alignment through the Defence Investment Plan (DIP), being humble and respectful of international markets and communication skills “on steroids”.  

Contributors:

Alice Bunn, President of UKspace 

Dr Alice Bunn OBE FIMechE FRAeS CEng | LinkedIn

UKspace: Overview | LinkedIn

Jonathan Daves, The Karman Line

Jonathan Daves | LinkedIn

The Karman Line

Andrew Stanniland, Managing Director, MDA Space UK

Andrew Stanniland | LinkedIn

MDA Space UK | LinkedIn

Key topics covered:

• Space sector skills & recruitment strategies
• UK space industry structure & 1,900+ company ecosystem
• Collaborative industry culture
• DSIT & UK Space Agency structural changes
• Defence Investment Plan (DIP) and military space
• National champions and M&A trends
• Regulatory & technology sandboxes
• International space partnerships & pace of execution

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Why is the orbital region between 10 km and 500 km currently empty? How can operating in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) transform Earth observation, direct-to-device mobile connectivity, and telecommunications? How does VLEO solve the LEO problem of satellite collisions and failures creating space debris that lingers for decades? How do you solve the extreme engineering challenges of atmospheric drag, atomic oxygen corrosion, and continuous propulsion? And how is the UK positioning itself as a global gateway for this emerging space domain?

Join Alice and Jonners as they talk with Anatolii Papulov, CEO and Co-founder of New Orbit, about pioneering VLEO satellite platforms, high-speed experimental iteration, and bringing "American velocity with European depth" to the UK space ecosystem.

Contributors:

Alice Bunn, President of UKspace 

Dr Alice Bunn OBE FIMechE FRAeS CEng | LinkedIn

UKspace: Overview | LinkedIn

Jonathan Daves, The Karman Line

Jonathan Daves | LinkedIn

The Karman Line

Anatolii Papulov, CEO and Co-founder of New Orbit

Anatolii Papulov | LinkedIn

New Orbit | LinkedIn

Key topics covered:

• Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO)
• Direct-to-device connectivity
• Atomic oxygen corrosion
• Electric propulsion systems
• Self-cleaning orbits & Space sustainability
• Rapid iteration & In-house testing
• Sovereign space manufacturing
• UK space talent & Scale-ups

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How is geopolitics disrupting standard launch operations? Why are nations, including the UK, looking to build localised infrastructure rather than rely on giant space operators like the US? And rather than overriding local communities and sensitive environments, how can the next generation of spaceports prioritise “space for good”?

Why is the space industry a communications basket-case? For a sector so clearly cool and exciting, how is it that the storytelling becomes pigeon-holed for “billionaires or physicists” rather than firing imaginations with concepts like “intergalactic architects”? How can movies like Wall-E and The Martian help shift the dial?

To combat severe workforce shortages, how should primary school educators be inspiring a more diverse, radical group of creative problem solvers? Why do formative educational choices limit rather than expand career paths for young people?

Contributors:

Alice Bunn, President of UKspace 

Dr Alice Bunn OBE FIMechE FRAeS CEng | LinkedIn

UKspace: Overview | LinkedIn

Melissa Quinn, Spaceport Builder

Melissa Quinn | LinkedIn

John Hudson, Chief Survival Instructor, UK military

John Hudson | LinkedIn

Caitlin Gould, Founder, TECwomen and TECgirls

Caitlin Gould | LinkedIn

TECwomen CIC | LinkedIn

Key topics covered:

• Sovereign capability
• Geopolitics
• Communication
• Emerging talent
• Psychological resilience
• Environmental compliance
• Local communities

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Why does the UK struggle to scale-up early-stage innovations? Must the Government move from being a core funder to a primary procurer? And how do we define sovereignty in an age where standalone defence is complex? Does true sovereignty mean carefully selecting international partners and alliances?

If modern space infrastructure, like maritime surveillance and drone tracking, relies on dual-use military and civilian technology how do commercial and security sectors ensure this becomes second nature? And why are stock market pricings and rail logistics crucial in securing long-term, cross-departmental government funding?

Join Alice and former UK Science Minister, Ian Taylor, as they track the shift of space from an uncoordinated, low-profile portfolio to becoming part of the UK's Critical National Infrastructure.

Contributors:

Alice Bunn, President of UKspace 

Dr Alice Bunn OBE FIMechE FRAeS CEng | LinkedIn

UKspace: Overview | LinkedIn

Ian Taylor, Strategic Advisor and former UK Science Minister

Ian Taylor | LinkedIn

Key topics covered:

• Government as first user
• Sovereignty as protection
• Dual-use technology
• Maritime surveillance
• Drone tracking
• Public value

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What is the “commercial paradigm shift” that transitions space research into commercial space production? How does this shift help build a global supply chain for high-value terrestrial industries? Why will manufacturing substrates like gallium nitride or diamond in space allow companies to bypass decades of Earth-bound defect correction research? How do we move from building complex, multi-million-pound machines that we burn up on re-entry to reliable methods for bringing satellites back to Earth for refurbishment, reuse and upgrading? And how do we do this while reducing the cost of return by a factor of 10?

Join Alice and Andrew Bacon, the CTO and co-founder of Space Forge, as they talk about building autonomous, “unscrewed mini-space factories”, super-clean environments, uniform temperatures and perfect material mixing, far away in higher orbit and safe from human contamination.

Contributors:

Alice Bunn, President of UKspace 

Dr Alice Bunn OBE FIMechE FRAeS CEng | LinkedIn

UKspace: Overview | LinkedIn

Andrew Bacon, CTO and co-founder of Space Forge

Andrew Bacon | LinkedIn

Space Forge | LinkedIn

Key topics covered:

• In-orbit manufacturing
• Ultra-vacuum/low contamination
• Microgravity
• Autonomous space factories
• Innovation in re-entry
• Low ballistic coefficient
• Sustainability and the environment
• Global supply chain
• Commercial space production

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What are the critical sovereign capabilities that DIP will be funding? Does DIP do enough to acknowledge the role of space as national infrastructure that underpins the UK defence stack? How will geospatial imagery and ISR data translate into active frontline capabilities? Can the UK securely guarantee that its international systems can operate without external interference? And why are “responsive launch” and assured access to space missing from the DIP?

Join Jonners and the Head of Policy at UKspace, Stephanie Ayres, as they discuss the DIP not as a “final outcome” but as a “blueprint” for a long-term journey.  

Contributors:

Jonathan Daves, The Karman Line

Jonathan Daves | LinkedIn 

The Karman Line | Website

Stephanie Ayres, Head of Policy UKspace

Stephanie Ayres | LinkedIn 

UKspace: Overview | LinkedIn

Key topics covered:

• UK Defence Investment Plan (DIP)
• Sovereign capabilities
• Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR)
• Deep space radar
• Orbital asset protection
• Foundational infrastructure
• Launch capabilities
• Earth observation (EO)
• Position, Navigation, Timing (PNT)
• Freedom of action

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Did you know that the UK space industry is roughly the same size as the UK music and video games industries? And that beyond direct revenue, nearly £1 in every £5 of UK GDP is supported or enabled by satellite services? Or that, because the UK public sector budget is 0.2% of GDP compared with 0.8% for the EU, our market is more commercially driven and innovative?

So how to get to the next level? Should the UK Government pivot its role from grant provider to “anchor customer”? Should the UK build more strategic, resilient partnerships, for example with the Nordic and Baltic nations, with Germany, Japan and Southeast Asia? Will the SpaceX IPO crowd new capital into competing launch vehicles that, if regulation can be stripped back, will “grease the wheels” for facilities like SaxaVord to succeed?

And why, in five years or less, will regular landings on the moon become normalised and “boring”?

Contributors:

Alice Bunn, President of UKspace 

Dr Alice Bunn OBE FIMechE FRAeS CEng | LinkedIn

UKspace: Overview | LinkedIn

Doug Liddle, Chair of UKSpace

Doug Liddle | LinkedIn

Greg Sadlier, Co-founder and director of know.space

Greg Sadlier | LinkedIn

know.space | LinkedIn

Key topics covered:

• SpaceX IPO
• UK space industry
• Sovereign characteristics
• Geopolitical partnerships
• Five-year outlook
• Domain awareness
• Orbital inspections and defence
• Asteroid mining
• SaxaVord

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