The ‘mustn’t miss’ sessions in Manchester – join Space4Climate at the UK Space Conference 2025 to tell climate satellite mission experts how they can meet your data and innovation needs
The ‘mustn’t miss’ sessions in Manchester
Join Space4Climate at the UK Space Conference 2025 to tell climate satellite mission experts how they can meet your data and innovation needs.
We are involved in leading and providing speakers for several sessions that will be key to our members.
The theme of the conference is Space For Growth. The two-day programme will reflect the crucial role of space-enabled technology in society’s everyday lives and the high profile of UK space expertise and capabilities on the global scene, including climate action and products.
In the last 18 months the UK’s collaborative involvement in European and international climate satellite missions has been making headlines, with data gathered by SWOT and EarthCARE, for example, smashing expectations and early images from BIOMASS creating excitement at the Living Planet Symposium last month.
UKSC highlights for S4C members
On the opening day Krupa Nanda Kumar, S4C’s Programme Lead, teams up with Rachael Hoyle, Director of Space at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence, to present an inspiring lunch and networking session with lightning talks.
After that lunchtime session Marcus Speigel, of our members Gentian, will give an end user’s perspective in From Orbit to Insight : How Satellite Data is Transforming End User Applications.
Join the audience to learn how Earth Observation, SatComm and Positioning Navigation and Time (PNT) satellite systems are changing how business and services support society and the economy.
In the Day 2 panel ‘A new era of UK-led Earth Observation missions’ we bring together leading figures from the UK climate satellite sector to hear from the audience – whether you are in science, policy or industry. Our line-up of mission experts want to hear from the sector on how the new and emerging data can support research and commercial services. This session will provide an opportunity for participants to feedback to Government and policy makers on improving feedback loops into mission development and data needs over the next 5-10 years.
It will be followed by a focus session on the TRUTHS mission – a chance to get involved now in this milestone project whether you are a potential end users in industry, public sector or academia.
Conference participants will also hear from Space4Climate Board Members, including Ally Barker, Head of Sales Operations & Head of Institutional Business Growth Telespazio UK. National Centre for Earth Observation’s Prof Helen Brindley, Professor in Earth Observation at Imperial College London, Dr Emma Haynes, Partnerships Director at NPL and Rafel Jorda Siquier, CEO and founder of Open Cosmos, will be speaking in the conference’s opening plenary.
The UK Space Conference Plenary topics develop the Space For Growth theme:
- How do we supercharge the UK economy with the space sector?
- Lessons from space and other sectors to deliver our future space workforce and what steps do we take now?
- How do we bring value to the nation?
- Is space really for all humankind? How do we create sustainable value for all in space discovery
The sessions programme unfolds with not only space and science experts, but an extensive range of sectors represented as space-enabled technology spreads its message of innovation, investment and economic growth potential across national and international industry and financial markets, as well as the public sector.
Krupa, Climate Services Development Manager of Space4Climate has extensive experience in satellite commercial, policy and NGO settings. She is a member of the UK Space Conference committee and says: “The UK Space Conference comes at a pivotal time for the sector to showcase the breadth of its capabilities in space science and technology.
“Space4Climate will be leading on a number of panels from profiling EO capabilities for end users to highlighting ground breaking UK-led climate science missions. We look forward to uniting with our colleagues from the space sector.”
This year – with member states of the European Space Agency gathering for the crucial strategic and funding planning meeting CM25 (ESA Council at Ministerial Level) in November, and the impacts of the Government’s Spending Review rippling down – the UK Space Conference will be a hub for sharing ambitions, showcasing current capabilities and delivering insights for strategies in the short, medium and long term future of the space sector.
Here are our picks from the programme:
Wednesday, July 16th
9-10am
European Space Contract Opportunities: ESA and Horizon
Central 5
Clarifying distinct roles and opportunities provided by the UK Space Agency through the European Space Agency and the Horizon Europe, Cluster 4 Space-based programme (delivered through the European Union). This presentation will offer an overview of the contract offerings and participation potential, highlighting their individual mechanisms and requirements for engagement.
10:30am-12noon
PLENARY: Space for Growth: How Do We Supercharge the UK Economy With the Space Sector?
Auditorium
Space is already embedded in everyday life, but the full economic potential is yet to be fully realised. The opening plenary will explore how we create sustainable multi-year strategies that drive long-term growth within the space sector and across the wider economy. With the world entering a new era of transformation – political, economic, technological – experts will examine how the UK can lead on innovation, investment, and standards around the five capabilities – domain awareness, ISAM, harnessing space data, PNT and SATCOM – unlocking sustainable growth at home and global influence abroad.
Speakers
Dr Josef Aschbacher, European Space Agency
Stephanie Ayres, UKspace
Dr Sarah Beardsley, UKRI – Science and Technology Facilities Council
Rafel Jorda Siquier, Open Cosmos
Anita Bernie, MDA Space and RAF 601 Squadron
Prof Helen Brindley, National Centre for Earth Observation, Imperial College London
Dr Emma Haynes, NPL
12-1pm
Women in Space – Lightning Talks and Networking Session Sponsored by BAE Systems Digital Intelligence (open to all)
Rm Breakout 3
A series of lightening talks and a networking session open to all. The session will begin with a series of short talks by Rachael Hoyle, Director of Space at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence, and Krupa Nanda Kumar, Climates Services Development Manager at Space4Climate, who will be sharing a challenge they have faced, what helped them to overcome it and one thing they would like to see more of in the sector. This will be followed by a networking session facilitated by Susan Charlesworth where attendees can come together to discuss what has helped them in their careers, how they have helped someone else’s progress and how they can accelerate action to be an ally.
13:30-14:10pm
Why are Small Satellite Science Missions Important to Growth?
Rm Breakout 2
Why and how can working on small science missions, either through the ESA Science Programme’s new ‘mini-F’ mission call for ideas, or bi-laterally with a diverse range of other space agencies, offer more consistent opportunities for the UK sector and a more stable pipeline of projects? Increasing the number of opportunities to work on science missions around the world, and supporting small missions with a new approach that complements our involvement in more traditional, larger missions, serves the needs of both industry and academia. In the UK it provides a great opportunity to leverage our space sector’s existing heritage and experience, while also pulling through new R&D teams and building capability across the country. Join us to hear about ESA’s small missions, including their new mini-F mission category, and current/future opportunities in the UK Space Agency’s bilateral programmes.
Speakers
Dr Jenny Carter, University of Leicester
Dr Lucinda King, BAE Systems
2:50-3:30pm
From Orbit to Insight : How Satellite Data is Transforming End User Applications
Breakout 3
This session will showcase how real-world case studies of Earth Observation, SatComm and Positioning Navigation and Time (PNT) satellite systems are making a tangible difference to how business and services support our society and economy. We will hear first-hand from three different organisations as they show how cross-sector collaboration using satellite derived data can streamline workflows and improve data-driven decision-making; unlocking value for both commercial growth and environmental protection.
Speakers
Dr Minda Suchan, VP of Geo-intelligence, MDA Canada (Chair)
Mona Bhatia, Operations Director, Geospatial Ventures
William Roberts, UK Navigation Manager, GMV
Marcus Spiegel, Chief Technology Officer, Gentian
4-5:20pm
PLENARY: Space for Growth: Lessons from space and other sectors to deliver our future space workforce and what steps do we take now?
Auditorium
To achieve the growth the space sector is targeting, we need to recognise our challenges are not unique. By combining learnings from within our own community and from outside perspectives, can we once and for all close the skills gap?
The key question for our experts – what are the tangible steps we must take today to start building the diverse workforce we need for tomorrow?
Informed by expert witnesses from Emma and Susan, Narinder and Tristan and with insight from our panel members, the discussion will explore how we address talent shortages, and retention challenges, and work together to create a more effective and efficient sector for everyone at all levels.
Speakers
Joseph Dudley, Space Skills Alliance
Tristan Dugdale-Pointon, West Midlands Fire Service
Narinder Gould, West Midlands Fire Service
Bethan McAulay, Astroscale
Dr Sarah Beardsley, UKRI – Science and Technology Facilities Council
Prof Lucy Berthoud, University Of Bristol
Dr Emma Royce OBE, Rise Together Space Alliance
Thursday, July 17th
10:30am-12noon
PLENARY: Space for Growth: How do we bring value to the nation?
Auditorium
What has space ever done for us? The truth is, space is already delivering for the UK, but are we selling that story loudly enough; are we telling it clearly enough?
This session will showcase the tangible, real-world value of space to UK regions, industries and people – from UK-based spaceports and microgravity research to health innovation and environmental science. Our speakers will explore how partnerships, clusters and public engagement can drive the type of growth that fuels every part of a nation. Join us as we celebrate our sector’s achievements, assess the risks and pose the key question: What more can you do for the nation?
Speakers
Doug Liddle, UKspace
Joshua Western, Space Forge Limited
Mayor Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester Authority
Dr. Nafeesa Dajda, Satellite Applications Catapult
Dr. Sarah Beardsley, UKRI – Science and Technology Facilities Council
Mike Clancy, Prospect
Anisha Patel, Airbus
12noon-1pm
MicroCarb features on the UK Space Agency Stand with Harshbir Sangha, UKSA, and the agency’s Earth Observation team.
1:30-2.10pm
New Era of UK-Led EO Missions
Rm Breakout 2
The UK’s thriving space sector is buzzing with excitement in a year of unprecedented Earth Observation satellite mission making crucial contributions to information essential for effective climate action and monitoring of progress in addressing climate change from space, now and in the future. This showcase will take you through the journey of 4 cutting edge UK-led satellite missions demonstrating the breadth and depth of UK expertise from the science behind the missions’, Industrial innovation and manufacturing to policy support.
EarthCARE’s data has come onstream following its May 2024 launch, far exceeding expectations. BIOMASS launched in April, using the P-band wavelength for the first time in a climate context; MicroCarb is preparing for launch even as we speak – a unique bilateral partnership between UK and France, via UK Space Agency and CNES, the French Space Agency. These are just three in a pipeline of UK-involved ground-breaking missions with TRUTHS and more on the Earth Observation horizon.
The mission experts want to hear from the sector on how the new and emerging data can support research and commercial services. This session will provide an opportunity for participants to feedback to government and policy makers on improving feedback loops into mission development and data needs over the next 5-10 years.
Speakers
Sally Stevens, Communications & Engagement Manager, Space4Climate (Chair)
Kainat Hussain, Programme Manager Earth Observations and Climate, UK Space Agency
Prof Paul Palmer, UK Science Lead for MicroCarb climate satellite mission, Science Director, National Centre for Earth Observation, Group Leader and Professor of Quantitative Earth Observation, Edinburgh University
Clement Albergel, Head of Actionable Climate Information, European Space Agency
Dr Onoriode Esegbue, Senior Climate and Emissions Scientist, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
2:50-3:50pm
Early Market Engagement: TRUTHS Ground Segment
Central 6-7
TRUTHS stands for Traceable Radiometry Underpinning Terrestrial- and Helio- Studies and was conceived by the UK’s National Physical Laboratory (NPL) to track climate change more accurately from space. It is being developed by ESA on behalf of the UK Space Agency and other partner nations across Europe, expected to launch in 2030. Telespazio UK has signed a contract with the European Space Agency as prime contractor for the TRUTHS Ground Segment. It includes designing, developing, delivering, verifying, validating and commissioning all components of the ground segment – Flight Operations Segment (FOS), Payload Data Ground Segment (PDGS) and associated Ground Station links to the spacecraft – as well as operations preparation and commissioning operations through the end of Phase E1.
This session will open with insights from Telespazio’s Ally Barker. Krupa Nanda Kumar will then chair a panel session.
Speakers
Krupa Nanda Kumar, Climate Services Development Manager, Space4Climate (Chair)
Alexandra Barker, Head of Institutional Business Growth & Sales Operations, Telespazio UK
Kainat Hussain, Programme Manager Earth Observations and Climate, UK Space Agency
Nigel Fox, National Physical Laboratory (NPL)
Samantha Lavender, MD Pixalytics Ltd
Remember to explore exhibitors’ stands
In between sessions make sure to visit our members’ stands in the exhibitors’ areas. Space4Climate will be based on the National Centre for Earth Observation stand.
Read the full programme on the UK Space Conference website and follow on social media us #UKSC25
We’ll see you there!