Space South Central Newsletter🌎

Cluster universities help create the largest ever hi-res 3D map of the universe

The largest ever high-resolution, 3D map of the universe is now complete – and two of Space South Central’s academic partners were part of the project’s global team.

The University of Portsmouth and UCL were among 70 institutions working on the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) project, a major milestone in understanding the force driving cosmic expansion, and dark energy, one of the biggest mysteries in physics.

Located at the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona, USA, DESI completed one of the most extensive surveys of the cosmos ever conducted ahead of schedule and delivered significantly more data than originally projected. 

Researchers expected to gather data on 34 million galaxies and quasars during the five-year survey, but the instrument performed so efficiently that it captured more than 47 million galaxies and quasars, plus more than 20 million nearby stars used to study the Milky Way.

DESI has now collected cosmological data from six times as many galaxies and quasars as all previous surveys combined.  

UK involvement in the mission to make detailed observations of the giant gaseous planet Jupiter and three of its largest moons: Ganymede, Callisto and Europa.

JUICE is an ESA Large class science mission and will consider two key themes of ESA’s Cosmic Vision 2015 – 2025: What are the conditions for planet formation and the emergence of life? and how does the Solar System work?

As well as studying the gas giant in detail, JUICE will make detailed observations of the giant gas planet and its large ocean-bearing moons – Callisto, Europa and in particular the largest, Ganymede. Ganymede is bigger than Mercury, and unusually for a moon, it has its own magnetic field. The mission will examine how this interacts with Jupiter’s magnetic field. It will also look for evidence of a habitable environment in the vast ocean believed to exist under Ganymede’s icy crust.

JUICE will complete a number of firsts. It will spend time orbiting Ganymede and will be the first spacecraft ever to orbit a moon other than our own. On the way to Jupiter, it will perform the first ever lunar-Earth gravity assist, to conserve propellant.

University College London’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory has provided the Solid-State Detectors for the (Swedish-led) Particle Environment Package (PEP), and Aberystwyth University has contributed to the radiation design of PEP instrument suite.

Spaceflux Selected by MDA Space to Deliver Optical Systems for Canadian Space Surveillance Programme

What supply chain questions can satellite data answer?

Data Centers were Never Meant to Stay on Earth

Could dark matter be made of black holes from a different universe?

New research suggests that relic black holes from before the big bang may still shape galaxies today. These black holes could explain dark matter, one of the biggest unsolved questions in cosmology.

Generally speaking, black holes are regions of spacetime where matter is compressed into a tiny space. Dark matter, meanwhile, is matter that does not reflect or absorb light. We know it exists because of its gravitational influence on galaxies and other cosmic structures.

It can be viewed as the “glue” that holds galaxies together, but we do not know what it is made of at a fundamental level. Most physicists think dark matter is composed of an as-yet-undiscovered sub-atomic particle.

But ancient black holes from before the big bang also fit the bill. They are dark, but also carry mass – exactly the properties required.

I have explored this idea in a new paper. Of course, the idea of relic black holes also requires a re-think of the big bang itself.

For nearly a century, cosmologists traced the history of the universe back to this single, dramatic moment. But maybe this wasn’t the absolute beginning of time. Perhaps there was a universe before the big bang.

Under this scenario, the universe collapsed before undergoing an expansion. The big bang represents the transition between the two phases.

The big bang model has been remarkably successful. It explains the cosmic microwave background – the afterglow of the early universe – and predicts the large scale distribution of galaxies with astonishing accuracy.

But in Einstein’s theory of general relativity, it is also a singularity – a point where density becomes infinite and the known laws of physics break down.

Many physicists interpret this not as a physical reality, but as a sign that something is missing. Singularities are less like physical objects and more like mathematical warnings: they tell us that our current theories cannot describe the earliest moments of the universe.

Five-year mission maps 47 million galaxies and quasars

Scientists are using DESI’s map to study dark energy, one of the biggest mysteries in physics. Because of the instrument’s excellent performance and hints that dark energy might evolve, DESI will continue observations into 2028 and further expand the map.

Dark energy is the fundamental ingredient that makes up about 70% of our universe at present and is driving its accelerating expansion. The other ingredients, also investigated by DESI, are ordinary matter (5%) and dark matter (25%).

Have your say: Space-focused infrastructure in the Solent Freeport region

Solent Freeport is undertaking a feasibility study to better understand the demand for, and potential value of, space-focused infrastructure in the Solent region.

The study is exploring whether new or enhanced facilities could support the region’s space ecosystem, including areas such as satellite manufacturing and integration, satellite communications, mission operations, secure testing and qualification, and cross-sector applications with maritime, defence, energy, and advanced manufacturing.

As part of this work, Solent Freeport and Actica Consulting are seeking input from businesses, academic institutions, research organisations, public sector partners, and prospective users of space-related infrastructure.

Your feedback will help build a clearer picture of current capabilities, gaps in provision, future demand, collaboration opportunities, and the conditions needed to make any future investment useful and sustainable.

The survey should take around 5 minutes to complete.

The survey will remain open until Friday 22^nd May.

Size and Health of the UK Space Industry 2025 Survey

Surrey Venture Studio

2026 International Spacetech Startup Supporting Program

A quick update from myself to inform everyone about a series upcoming thematic call on  The Arctic Region.

The diverse threats facing the Arctic environment, livelihoods, security and economy are expected to become more consequential over time. There is a pressing need to develop solutions to address current and emerging challenges. From maritime safety and surveillance, to search and rescue, defence and security, environmental protection, food security and critical infrastructure protection, the potential for using satellite technologies in innovative solutions is immense.
To address the diversity and complexity of the challenges affecting the Arctic region, this Call for Proposals is composed of three complementary and thematically focused sub‑calls

Sub‑call 1 – Environmental and economic resilience - opening 4 June 2026
This sub‑call focuses on protecting Arctic ecosystems and supporting climate‑resilient economic activities, with particular attention to fisheries, aquaculture, environmental monitoring, pollution detection and food security. It addresses the growing impact of climate change, increased maritime activity and environmental stressors on both Arctic livelihoods and natural resources.

Sub‑call 2 – Safety, navigation, and operations
This sub‑call targets safe maritime navigation and operations in the Arctic, where melting sea ice is not only increasing traffic but also exposing vessels to significant hazards. It addresses challenges related to ice monitoring, route optimisation, search and rescue, situational awareness, and the safe operation of maritime, air and land activities in a remote and infrastructure‑limited environment.

Sub‑call 3 – Security and critical protection
This sub‑call addresses security, sovereignty and protection of critical infrastructure in an increasingly contested region. It focuses on enhancing situational awareness, monitoring unlawful and grey‑zone activities, protecting strategic assets, and supporting Arctic states and allies in responding to growing geopolitical and hybrid threats.
 
We have some great case studies in our portfolio regarding the Arctic, with my favourite being
Expanding Ocean Monitoring with High-Speed UAVS a Kick Start from Marble  Aerospace that looked to assess the viability of supporting governmental regulators, fisheries authorities, port managers, and conservation organisations focused on protecting endangered marine mammals, especially the North Atlantic right whale, assessing how monitoring can be delivered cost-effectively at scale, creating trust among regulators, fisheries, and port operators while strengthening conservation outcomes.
 

Orbit South Central: May 2026

On Wednesday 20th May 2026, Space South Central is delighted to host our monthly networking event, Orbit South Central at Surrey Space Centre.

Created with the aim of connecting key players in the UK space industry and providing an opportunity to discover the region’s space-related activities, whilst discussing the sector on both a local and national level. Our monthly networking events are an occasion in which we can meet to share our knowledge and skills. A chance to hear the latest news, and funding opportunities whilst listening to experts across the sector share their thoughts and ideas.

Speakers include:

• David Moniz from Boxxe

Guest Parking at Surrey Orbit South Central

We would encourage you to use public transport to join us at this month's Orbit, but appreciate this is not always possible. Attendees who will be driving will need to email their car registration plate details to [email protected] before close of play on Tuesday 19th May, to ensure you will receive free parking. You will need to park in the north car park.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected]. You can follow our Twitter and LinkedIn accounts, where we share regular updates about our work and events.

By applying for tickets, you will automatically be registered for our monthly newsletter. Should you wish to opt out, please email [email protected].

We look forward to seeing you very soon!

Sign up here.

Military Space Situational Awareness Conference

Secure your place at the 21st annual Military Space Situational Awareness Conference (5th-7th May 2026), Europe’s leading event on space domain awareness. Join 250+ professionals, 40+ expert speakers, and representatives from 20+ nations for three days of insight, collaboration and cutting‑edge discussion.

New for 2026: a dedicated Space Control, Threats & Hazards Focus Day, bringing together military leaders, specialists and industry innovators to explore challenges in a rapidly contested domain.

Find out more here. 

Farnborough International Airshow - 2026

Held biennially at the Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre in Hampshire, England, this premier event offers unparalleled opportunities to forge new connections, engage with thought leaders, and be part of transformative change in aerospace, aviation, space, and defence sectors.

Taking place 20-24 July 2026, Farnborough International Airshow 2026 will host leading innovators from the aerospace, space, aviation and defence industries and beyond, to showcase the latest innovations.

Find out more here. 

Want to become a member of the Space South Central regional space cluster?

Join our growing community of innovators, investors, researchers and space‑enabled businesses. As a member, you’ll gain access to dedicated support, curated opportunities, and a powerful regional network.

Get involved and help shape the future of the South Central space economy.

The UK space sector is a vibrant ecosystem comprising diverse stakeholder communities, renowned for numerous innovative and globally recognised projects and programmes. However, the sector has traditionally lacked a cohesive systems approach to unite these varied forces and foster collaboration towards a shared vision for the future.

The Space Enterprise Community (SEC) platform has been designed to help address this challenge and support the UK Space Ecosystem to connect and thrive, offering users a selection of tools, resources and groups that connect stakeholders from different communities to enable collaboration while providing support and real-time updates on the latest news, events and opportunities.

As physical anchors for the UK Space Ecosystem and complementing the Space Enterprise Community platform, the Space Enterprise Labs (SELs) bring communities together, both locally and nationally.

They include free access to resources, virtual demonstrations and expertise, as well as technology including:

• Large interactive touch screens and virtual canvas with full connectivity capabilities, enabling seamless delivery of meetings, business support sessions, capability demonstrations, and opportunity development workshops.
• Video conferencing licenses and professional webcams to run high-quality webinars and engage the community.
• Virtual Reality Headsets for demonstrations of space capability (1-on-1 or at events) such as the bespoke Virtual Reality Satellite 101 demonstration featuring the launch, deployment, and operation of a satellite.