Leicester University is a research-led university founded as Leicestershire and Rutland University College in 1921, when students were first admitted to the college. In 1927 it became University College, Leicester, awarding external degrees for the University of London, before being granted its Royal Charter in 1957, with the status of a full university and the right to award its own degrees. The University is organised into 4 Colleges, one of which, the College of Science and Engineering, includes the Department of Physics and Astronomy, within which most space-related research activities take place.
The Space Research Facility is equipped for its in-house needs. However the facilities have a transient loading and are in principle available for use by external customers. The University has demonstrated experience in accommodating external work, with appropriate planning. When larger test facilities are required for larger instruments, SRC has good access to external facilities such as those at Airbus and Harwell.
The University also has a variety of additional test, calibration and manufacturing facilities, including: vacuum X-ray test and calibration chambers and environmental test cabinets, related CAD and mission-analysis software systems, and electronics manufacturing facilities, as well from 2021, Space Park Leicester facilities.
The SRC’s facilities have a transient loading and are in principle available for use by external customers - the University has demonstrated experience in accommodating external work, with appropriate planning.
