A research centre dedicated to revolutionising future air and space travel, and putting Scotland at the frontier of space engineering has been launched at the University of Strathclyde.
The Centre for Future Air-Space Transportation Technology (FASTT) brings together a multi-disciplinary team of engineers and scientists to research the technologies required for tomorrow’s high-speed airliners and access-to-space systems.
"Fantastic opportunity for Scotland"
Professor Richard Brown, Director of the FASTT Centre said: “With the end of the shuttle programme almost upon us, there is a fantastic opportunity for Scotland to play its part in advancing the technology that will take us into the next of age of space travel.
“The programme was not without severe technological and economic problems and at Strathclyde, with the launch of the FASTT Centre, we will be able to develop the crucial technologies that will address these issues and redesign the shuttles of the future.
“It is crucial that we draw inspiration from the airline industry and look at designing space craft that are re-useable and thus more affordable. If this can be achieved, and we believe it can, then it will radically change our ability to enter space and a world of opportunity awaits."
Researchers at the FASTT Centre are using a range of computer simulations to investigate and define the potential for future technological advances. Their tools are supported by experimental measurements and flight-test data from organisations around the world.
Scotland's double win at the 'Space Oscars'
The work builds on the success of the Strathclyde's Advanced Space Concepts Laboratory – a world leader in frontier research on visionary space systems.
Opened in 2009, the Laboratory's achievements were recognised this week at the industry's 'Space Oscars' – picking up the Sir Arthur C Clarke award for achievement in space research at the UK Space Conference in Warwick.
At the same ceremony, Scottish company, Clyde Space won the Sir Arthur C Clarke award for achievement in space commerce. Clyde Space provides affordable, high performance subsystems for small satellites and microspacecraft and boasts the largest range of online range CubeSat products.
International collaboration
According to Professor Brown, the University has strengthened ties with similar focused research centres in the United States, Australia and Japan.
He said: “Our work is part of a world leading programme of private-company activity in the UK that needs more credit than it has received. Companies like Reaction Engines, with their innovative Skylon launch vehicle, have shown that private enterprise, when supported by a strong academic foundation, can play a leading role in defining how we access space in future.
"Here in Scotland we plan to make a major contribution to a renaissance in British Space Engineering.”
Discover more about Scotland's advances in the space industry