A team from the University of Glasgow has won a UK Government competition to develop a climate change satellite for launch from the UK.
The 10 students designed a satellite to analyse shorelines and coastal vegetation to help scientists and policymakers understand the impact of climate change on coastal regions, as part of the Nanosat Design Competition, run by the UK Space Agency and Department for Transport.
The winning team from Glasgow, named OirthirSAT, beat more than 40 teams from across the UK, aged between 16 and 37, with the judges praising their entry for identifying a clear way to tackle climate change and test new technologies.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "With satellite launches due to start from home soil this year, there is no better time to support the next generation of space experts in developing satellites to support our mission against climate change."
Dr Paul Bate, chief executive of the UK Space Agency, said: "Satellite technology plays a crucial role in monitoring our climate and it is fantastic to see so many innovative ideas to help tackle the most pressing issue facing our planet.
"The countdown to the first satellite launch from UK soil is on and this will be a historic year for our space sector - being the first country in Europe to offer launch will boost our satellite industry further, creating hundreds of new jobs across the UK."
The Nanosat Design Competition opened in November, with aspiring space scientists invited to design a small satellite suitable for launch from the UK, to help inform solutions to climate change.
Five teams were chosen from the initial entries to go through to the final stage, which included a four-month mentoring programme with space sector experts.
Freya Muir, a PhD student at the University of Glasgow on the OirthirSAT team, said: "We’re so proud to have won the competition and have all our hard work recognised by the sector - it’s not just a win for us and the university, but for coastal stakeholders and decision-makers who will get valuable use from our data."
The team plans to use the prize money to build their satellite, with ongoing support from the competition’s mentors, to help develop their proposal from design to build, with a view to launching from the UK in the coming years.
UK Government Minister for Scotland Iain Stewart said: "With satellites playing an ever-greater role in monitoring and helping combat climate change, it’s inspiring to see Scotland’s next generation of scientists exploring new ways that space technology can help us understand our environment."
Scotland’s space sector is booming, and now accounts for around one fifth (18%) of the UK space workforce, according to the latest figures. Scotland will also host the UK’s first vertical small satellite launches next year, from the SaxaVord and Sutherland spaceports.
Levelling up the space sector is a key priority for the UK Space Agency and there are now 1,293 space organisations located across the UK.
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