UK Space Facilities Propulsion Test Facilities

Propulsion Test Facilities

Airborne Engineering Ltd
Airborne Engineering Ltd is a UK company based at Westcott Venture Park in Buckinghamshire, site of the former Rocket Propulsion Establishment (RPE Westcott) and its staff have over 70 years combined experience in rocket systems design and testing.
AVS-UK
AVS conceives and develops high-value mechanisms, instruments and robotics for high-value Space missions. AVS is also developing its own catalogue of Space products for IOS, mechanisms, propulsion systems and thermal devices.
Falcon Project Ltd, Westcott
Falcon would like to see a high-altitude test facility at Westcott. Falcon is planning to redevelop ‘K Site’ at Westcott, which includes K2 a horizontal test stand, K1 a vertical test stand and R Site which comprises two smaller firing bays.
International Space Propulsion (ISP) - Marlborough
ISP’s consultancy expertise covers all aspects of space propulsion system design, manufacture, test and support services.
Kingston University London
Kingston University has excellent facilities for rocket engine research and is happy to work collaboratively with external academic and commercial users.
Mars Space (MSL) - Southampton
The Mars Space EP Lab facilities are private, but are available for use by 3rd parties, subject to availability, and via normal commercial arrangements.
Nammo UK (Moog ISP) - Westcott
Nammo’s high altitude and sea‐level test cells at Westcott are all used to support in‐house rocket engine development projects, but there is some capacity for taking on external work, subject to availability and normal commercial arrangements.
Newton Launch Systems
SME dedicated to the development of innovative space technology and providing the facilities for others to do likewise. Newton has teamed up with the Snowdonia Aerospace Centre to provide a range of test facilities at Llanbedr airfield.
QinetiQ
QinetiQ are a world-leader in the provision of relevant Test & Evaluation services, an enabler to the delivery of advanced capability.
Reaction Engines Ltd at Culham Science Centre
Reaction Engines is a UK-based company formed in 1989 to design and develop the technologies needed for a new class of innovative hypersonic propulsion system – the Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine (SABRE).
Resonate Testing Ltd
Resonate Testing is an ISO17025:2017 accredited test facility providing environmental testing for the space industry, which includes vibration, shock, SRS shock and more.
Roxel (Safran-MBDA), Kidderminster
Roxel’s rocket motor design, manufacturing and testing facilities, which were established principally for its own development programmes make it ideally positioned to support external customers in all aspects of rocket propulsion systems.
Swansea University
Swansea University has long-standing and notable experience in collaboration with industry and research institutions in the UK and abroad.
Thales Alenia Space – UK, Harwell, Bristol & Belfast
TAS UK is a member of a major European Large Scale Integrator, and as such has access to many European AIV facilities. It is watching developments of AIV facilities at the Harwell site with great interest.
The UK’s National Space Propulsion Test Facility
A new open-access propulsion test facility backed by the UK Space Agency
University of Southampton – Astronautics Group
The Astronautics Group has excellent facilities to support its space systems engineering activities and its in-house research interests and developments in both electric and chemical propulsion.
University of Southampton – Plasma and Space Science Group
The Plasma and Space Science Group has excellent facilities to support its in-house research interests and developments in electric propulsion.
University of Surrey
The University is a centre of Excellence for space and telecommunications research