North East Space Conference 2024 to be held in Durham
Now in its 11th year, the North East Space Conference will take place in Durham on June 25, bringing together more than 300 delegates, speakers, and exhibitors from across the country and overseas for a day of discussion and collaboration.
The event will be held at the Radisson Blu Hotel and marks the largest conference to date, reflecting both the growth of the sector and rising interest in the region.
North East Space Leadership Group chairman John Bone (Image: Supplied)
John Bone, chairman of the North East Space Leadership Group and a conference organiser since its launch in 2014, said: “It’s always one of the most important dates in our calendar and this year it’s coming at a very exciting time for the region’s space sector, which is continuing to thrive.
“It’s a day where scientists, experts, business leaders and local government all come together to exchange ideas, information and knowledge and share news on developments and visions for the future.
“Relationships and partnerships are cemented, people involved in the space sector get work done, and progress is made.”(Image: Supplied)
Led by Space North East England, the conference is supported by all five of the region’s universities and aims to bolster the North East’s goal of directly employing more than 10,000 people in the space sector by 2030.
The event will feature five panel discussions on key space topics, as well as keynote speeches from senior leaders in the global space industry.
Matthew Archer, director of launch at the UK Space Agency, will deliver the keynote address and outline the UK’s strategy for space launch from UK soil.SpaceX satellite (Image: SpaceX Imagery.)
His speech will highlight the North East’s growing capabilities in the space sector, with particular emphasis on the region’s strengths in engineering, manufacturing, and chemical processing.
Mr Bone said: “In the very near future, we are going to see successful launches from UK soil, and I think that will be inspirational for young people in our country, who might take fresh interest in science and engineering careers.”
Other keynote speakers include Nicoletta Wagner of the European Space Agency and Matt Chesnut of Space Florida.Attendees at previous conference (Image: Supplied)
All five North East universities—Northumbria, Durham, Sunderland, Teesside, and Newcastle—will have a presence at the event, underlining the region’s research strengths and contributions to industry growth.
The conference is organised by Space North East England and supported by main sponsors Business Durham, Lockheed Martin, and NETPark.
Twenty exhibitors will be present, including Plastron, 3S Northumbria, Nano Electronic Services, Filtronic, Telespazio, Nascent Semiconductors, Muckle LLP, Technia, Axenic, Ambasat, Mowden, Raytheon, and Cyber North.