Andy Burnham signs deal to bring 'spaceship building' to the region
'Greater Manchester is perfectly placed to lead this'
Andy Burnham has signed a deal that could see the region become a centre for 'spaceship building'.
The Greater Manchester mayor signed the agreement with Axiom Space, the developer of the first commercial space station, along with Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram, this week. Mr Burnham said Greater Manchester is 'perfectly placed' for the deal.
The deal was struck following talks between Mr Burnham and Axiom Space at the South by Southwest festival in the US two years ago with British astronaut Tim Peake, who is a strategic advisor to the American company, having held discussions with Mr Rotheram.
Mr Peake, who has worked on the International Space Station, said the new agreement could help 'inspire future generations'.
Speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside, he said: "We were talking about the fantastic opportunities that there are in the North West because of the skill sets that are around the technologies, the industrial base that's already there, and how to kind of join the two together.
"We are bringing shipbuilding back to Liverpool, it's just spaceship building."
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will establish a framework for collaboration on space-based research, development, and manufacturing, helping to position the North West as a global centre for innovation in microgravity science and space technology.
It is hoped that the deal will help the UK - and the north west in particular - play a leading role in the future of space innovation.
Mr Burnham said: “This collaboration with Axiom Space is a great example of what can be done when our City Regions work together to drive growth.
“Space is one of the UK’s fastest growing sectors, and Greater Manchester is perfectly placed to lead this innovative work, with our strengths in advanced materials and manufacturing, life sciences, AI and Data.
“The expertise in our universities, digital sector, and manufacturing and engineering firms mean that we can seize this opportunity to create highly skilled, well paid jobs across our city region.”
Under the terms of the MoU, the partnership will focus on:
- Space-based communications, AI, and cybersecurity
- Environmental monitoring and disaster management using satellite technology
- Microgravity research in biotech and medicine
- In-space manufacturing for advanced materials and new products
Chief Revenue Officer at Axiom Space, Tejpaul Bhatia, said: “Axiom Space is developing Space-based infrastructure that will create new markets and economic opportunities around the world.
“This includes orbital data centers that will facilitate new capabilities in telecommunications, Earth observation and data analytics, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, orbital laboratories that will unlock innovations in microgravity with the potential for scientific breakthroughs across various industries, and orbital factories that will leverage the environment of Space to manufacture pharmaceuticals and materials otherwise not possible on Earth.
"Moreover, Space-based infrastructure like orbital data centers supports terrestrial sustainability by utilizing unlimited solar power, cooling, and real estate in Space, offsetting long-term strains on those limited terrestrial resources.
"We are thrilled to collaborate with the UK to leverage Space-based infrastructure to empower regional economies, stimulate job creation, and boost global competitiveness."