 | |
| Company type | Private (Subsidiary of Telespazio) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Space |
| Founded | 1978; 47 years ago (1978) |
| Headquarters | Luton,Bedfordshire, UK |
Key people | Sarah Macken (CEO) |
Number of employees | 120 (2023) |
| Parent | Telespazio |
| Website | telespazio.co.uk |
Telespazio UK Ltd. is a British space company based inLuton,Bedfordshire. Founded in 1978 by a small group of engineers at theEuropean Space Operations Centre (ESOC) inDarmstadt,Germany, Telespazio UK presently works with various space agencies, satellite operators and manufacturers around the world. It works with theEuropean Space Agency (ESA) andESA Centre for Earth Observation (ESRIN) inRome,Italy, ESOC inGermany,European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) inNoordwijk, theNetherlands andEuropean Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC) inMadrid,Spain.
Since 1978, VEGA has worked on almost every ESA mission and many other European and international programmes, includingMars Express, theAutomated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) for theInternational Space Station (ISS), theEumetsat Polar System, and theGround Segment Development for ADEN.
On 1 January 2011, VEGA Space Ltd became a part ofTelespazio, theRome-based space systems servicesjoint venture between the Italian aerospace and defence groupLeonardo and the French defense electronics specialistThales Group. Telespazio UK is an active member of theUK Space Agency, the trade association for Britain's space industry, and is heavily involved with theInternational Space Innovation Centre based inHarwell.
During 1978, VEGA was established by a small group of engineers at theEuropean Space Operations Centre inDarmstadt,Germany.[1] The company had been setup to fulfil the first operations engineering frame contract, which had been competitively bid for and awarded, to provide satellite operations support for severalEuropean Space Agency (ESA) missions. During VEGA's initial years of operation, this contract comprised the bulk of its activity.[1]
During the 1980s, VEGA expanded via several additional programmes, including the award of its first contract with theEuropean Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) during 1986, along with a separate deal to handle ground operations for British spacetelecommunications companyInmarsat.[1] The company established its first dedicated office inSt Albans,Hertfordshire. During 1991, VEGA launched on-site operations at theEuropean Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in theNetherlands.[1]
During 1992, VEGA became apublic limited company following aninitial public offering on theLondon Stock Exchange.[1] In the following year, it started providing support for the ESA's Earth Observation Directorate. During 1994, VEGA was awarded its first contract for a simulation-based training system for theBritish Aerospace Sea Harrier; it also established a presence at theEuropean Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC).[1]
During 1996, VEGA acquires the automation and control engineering businessSelmers.[1] The firm's UK offices were located toWelwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, in the following year. During 2004, VEGA acquired the German space ground systems specialistAnite Systems GmbH. Three years later, the company reorganised itself into severalsubsidiaries,VEGA France andVEGA Spain.[1] By this point, according to VEGA's own financial statements, the firm self-classified as a specialist professional services company in the principal markets of Aerospace, Defence and Government.[2]
During 2008, VEGA was itself acquired by the Italian aerospace groupFinmeccanica (since rebranded asLeonardo); accordingly, it was delisted from the London Stock Exchange.[1] Initially, the company became a subsidiary ofSelex ES with the Finmeccanica Group, but continued to operate under the VEGA brand. However, it was restructured over the following three years, including the creation ofVEGA Space Ltd during 2010, and the transfer of VEGA's ownership toTelespazio, a space operationsjoint venture between Finmeccanica and French defense electronics specialistThales Group on 1 January 2011.[1]
For decades, VEGA has continued to provide support on the original ESA operations engineering contract, which has been re-tendered every five years. Other programme performed by the company include the provision of various elements, such as thesynthetic-aperture radar, for theCOnstellation of small Satellites for the Mediterranean basin Observation (COSMO-SkyMed)Earth-observation satellitespace-based radar programme, which is funded by theItalian Ministry of Research andMinistry of Defence and conducted by theItalian Space Agency (ASI), intended for both military and civilian use.[3][4] The company has also supported theRosetta space probe that performed the first successful landing on a comet.[5][6]
By the 2010s, activities performed by Telespazio VEGA UK includedsatellite navigation systems,satellite communications (fixed and mobile), ground-based satellite mission control systems,Earth observation, consultancy services for numerous international space programmes, along with general space engineering and operational activities.[7][8] During 2018, Luigi Pasquali, Telespazio CEO, declared that the company's long term goal is to capture 10 per secure of the global space market by 2030.[7]
In 2021, Telespazio VEGA changed its name to Telespazio UK.
