Amentum Selected to Design New Facility for UK Space Industry
Amentum has been selected to provide the UK with specialist equipment to simulate conditions in space to improve zero-gravity operations and enhance mission safety.
The company’s robotics specialists will design an in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing gravity offload system for use by satellite and space craft manufacturers and operators. The Satellite Applications Catapult (SAC) awarded the contract to Amentum after competitive bidding. The system is due to be delivered by March 2025.
“We will use our strengths in robotics and technology to create a new facility that will help our client advance its vision to create a robust and interconnected UK Space Ecosystem fostering innovation, growth, collaboration and technological advancement,” said Andy White, Senior Vice President of Amentum Energy & Environment International.
The gravity offload system is a gantry that minimizes the effect of gravity on a suspended object to simulate the conditions encountered in-orbit. The system will be used to develop control systems and hardware for docking and capture systems to ensure effective operation in orbit and reduce the risk of mission failures.
Integrating commercial off-the-shelf hardware with an innovative design to deliver a robust and comprehensive solution, Amentum will design, qualify and install the system on the client’s site. Cost-efficient modular design and agile methodologies will be used to deliver the project.
The new system is part of a major investment in the Satellite Applications Catapult facility at the Westcott Space Cluster in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, where companies can verify, validate and demonstrate a range of in-orbit operations including manufacturing, servicing, inspection, repair and assembly. Funding for the upgrade project was provided by UK Space Agency.
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