- SPACE MISSIONS
Our Mission Heritage
Since UKube-1 Clyde Space, now AAC Clyde Space, have moved from strength-to-strength, and have worked on missions ranging in applications from earth observations, the Internet of things to quantum technologies. Our amazing Space Missions team has racked up over a decade of development heritage and we’re happy to say that a few people who worked on UKube-1 are still with us today.
Don’t take it from us, here’s what they had to say about working on this mission:
Andrew Strain, CTO
“UKube-1 was only the size of a shoebox, but it was huge for us. It was our first full satellite – the first satellite to be designed and built in Scotland. It was a lot of hard work from a lot of people and a huge learning curve. Going from subsystems to a full satellite and mission there was so much more to be done, so much more that had to go right for it to work. On launch day, waiting for the first message to come back down was very stressful, but when it did it was an incredible feeling. A few weeks ago one of our engineers here told me that when he was at school he watched the TV coverage of that launch which inspired him to work in the space industry – I am proud to think that UKube-1 inspired not only our company both others around us on to greater things.”
Derek Bennet, VP Sales Space Missions
“Whilst working at the University of Strathclyde in the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, I was part-seconded to Clyde Space to support the design of UKube-1. This was incredibly exciting opportunity, allowing me to gain practical industry experience and serve as a great example of effective knowledge transfer between academia and industry. Now being a full-time member of AAC Clyde Space team, it amazing to see how the business has grown into delivering multiple successful space missions, with UKube-1 playing a fundamental role in the company’s development and growth.”
Marcos Compadre, Principal Engineer
“One of my very first jobs at Clyde Space was to get some ground support equipment boards ready for the partners that were going to participate in the UKube-1 program. At the time I had just graduated from university, and I was not aware of how big and important this mission was going to be, both for Clyde Space and for the space industry in Scotland. The launch of UKube-1 was indeed a turning point for the space industry in Scotland, and it showed the world that small companies could also build satellites. In fact, the world is now looking at CubeSats not as toys, but as a viable option to be in orbit. We were around 20 people in the company at that time… and we made it!”
Linda Macintyre, Flight Assembly Technician.
“It was an exciting time in the company, it was a young company and it was a completely new experience for us all. I can say I was part of the team that manufactured Scotland’s first satellite. Not everyone can say that! Now it’s a piece of cake.”
Ian Pratley, Test Engineer
“I’ve been with the company for over 10 years and have hugely enjoyed the challenges that come with every mission. My role is to ensure that the spacecraft subsystems are functioning correctly which requires a high level of care and focus. Working in UKube-1 was the start but I am far from finished!”
OTHER CASE STUDIES
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