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Northern Ireland has developed world-class capability in areas such as advanced sensors, predictive analytics, and cyber security. With a strong heritage in aerospace and advanced materials, the region is increasingly applying its expertise to upstream space systems, satellite components, and resilient communications. Key academic and industrial assets are enabling cross-sector innovation in propulsion, space surveillance, telecommunications, AI, and quantum technologies.
Belfast, in particular, is a growing focal point for space entrepreneurship, home to startups and SMEs working on satellite manufacturing, data analytics, and launch vehicle systems. The city is also ranked as one of the top global destinations for cyber investment.
See the Northern Ireland Space Office strategy document here.
Join the Northern Ireland Space Cluster Group in the Space Enterprise Community Platform here.
BRCD Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) funded by the Belfast Region City Deal, AMIC includes the Polymer Processing Research Centre
The Catalyst Belfast Innovation Centre is an epicentre of innovation in Northern Ireland providing everything that innovators and entrepreneurs need to reach higher and succeed faster – a home, a powerful community, enhanced by international networks of venture capital, and market development support.
Based at Queen’s Titanic Quarter is the UK’s largest research, the Centre is focused on the development and exploitation base in Physical Layer wireless, and one of the best ranked in Europe. Our 70-strong team of research academics, postdocs, PhD students and engineers develop innovative underpinning technologies, focused on the themes of RF through to THz Systems, and Signal Processing & Communication Theory.
The Digital Twin Centre, led by Digital Catapult, will provide common, shared physical and digital infrastructure to support the development of digital twins, elements of which include common data architecture, tools, models, software, systems and hardware. The centre will initially focus in sectors including maritime, aerospace and defence but have the capability and plans to explore other sectors.
The NI Cyber Security Centre works to make Northern Ireland cyber safe, secure and resilient for its citizens and businesses.
Northern Ireland Advanced Composites and Engineering Centre (NIACE) in Belfast – Ulster University (Composites Engineering and Advanced Metal Forming groups) is a joint partner with Queen’s University Belfast in the Northern Ireland Advanced Composites and Engineering Centre (NIACE). This industry led, university hosted centre is a technology hub for the research and development of advanced engineering and advanced materials technologies, particularly in the area of advanced composites technologies, across a range of industrial sectors.
Queen’s University Belfast is a global leader in radio frequency (RF) and millimetre-wave research through its Centre for Wireless Innovation (CWI). Ranked among the world’s top institutions in telecommunications engineering, CWI houses advanced facilities including an 11m anechoic far-field chamber, a planar near-field scanner, and a Keysight millimetre-wave laboratory.
Commercial test house for organisations in need of high quality testing and certification services. Resonate Testing has developed its own bespoke shock and pyroshock testing facility that can recreate the complex shocks that are experienced in the most extreme environments with a wide range of impact devices and shock transfer media.
Located at the Propulsion Integration Centre in Thales Belfast, and on Harwell’s Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire TAS teams design and build propulsion systems modules for Thales Alenia Space’s telecommunications satellites to keep them safely positioned in orbit. They also develop low cost, exportable, electric propulsion system for single satellites and constellations. Together, these teams are known as the Propulsion Centre of Competence for the whole of Thales Alenia Space JV.
NI companies and organisations with an interest in space.
Regional Development Agency for Northern Ireland.
Comprised of senior representatives from the leading prime organisations, SME’s, local government / public sector and academic stakeholders from both world class universities engaged in the space sector.
The Northern Ireland Space Office (NISO) supports regional space cluster development and highlights regional capabilities both nationally and internationally. NISO works closely with InvestNI, the Regional Business development Agency, ADS the national Aerospace, Defence and Security trade association and the UK Space Agency to signpost opportunities for collaboration and commercial growth.
Northern Ireland Space is a supporter of a consortium of partners led by Space Hub Yorkshire hosting the Satellite Applications Catapult’s first pilot Connected Capabilities Network: the UK Earth Observation Network for Sustainability (UK-EONS). UK-EONS will advance the reach and impact of space data and technology across the UK with a focus on Earth Observation technology for sustainability challenges. UK-EONS will work with stakeholders across space and adjacent sectors, and host engagement events and activities to help catalyse collaboration and investment opportunities
Northern Ireland Space is part of a consortium of partners led by Harwell Space Cluster/STFC hosting the Satellite Applications Catapult’s a pilot Connected Capabilities Network: the Autonomous and Connected Earth Network (UK-ACE network) will advance the reach and impact of satellite data and space technology across the UK, emphasising the pivotal roles connectivity and autonomy applications play on Earth. The UK-ACE network will work with stakeholders across space and adjacent sectors by hosting engagement events and activities to help catalyse collaboration and investment opportunities using autonomy and connectivity technologies.
Northern Ireland Space are leading a UK Space Agency-funded collaboration working with Space East and Space Wales. The project will provide knowledge exchange activities between public sector organisations, academia and SMEs in the areas of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and Seaweed farming and production.
For more detail, see the Space Capabilities Catalogue. For more information on the technical areas, see the Investor Launchpad Capability Brochures.
Northern Ireland hosts over 8,000 aerospace jobs and exports more than £1.4 billion in aerospace parts annually - Europe’s 8th largest aerospace region in revenue - including structural components and precision subsystems now transitioning into space applications. This includes firms with capabilities in high-performance composites, additive manufacturing, and mission-critical avionics.
The region has deep experience in the storage and analysis of large volumes of data, including financial, telemetry and genomic data, with a strong capability in machine learning and artificial intelligence in health, financial services, and cyber security. 25% of all computer read/write heads are made by Seagate Technology in Northern Ireland.
The region has significant expertise in secure communications and RF system design, with several firms working on satellite payloads, ground terminals, and resilient C2 (command and control) networks. Northern Ireland’s background in military-grade electronics and secure network architecture also lends itself well to emerging optical and hybrid RF systems.
Belfast and Londonderry are home to growing clusters in quantum technologies and photonics, with applications for quantum timing, secure communication links, and sensor systems in space. Institutions like Queen’s University are engaged in research on quantum optics and laser systems relevant to space navigation and precision Earth observation.
For more detail, see the Space Capabilities Catalogue.
With a strong defence industry presence, the region is well-placed to commercialise dual-use technologies for SSA (Space Situational Awareness), ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance), and satellite communications.
Northern Ireland’s heritage in airframe manufacturing and emerging composites R&D makes it ideal for developing structural systems and propulsion subsystems for spaceflight. There’s growing interest in using local expertise to build flight hardware for cubesats, in-space mobility platforms, and lunar applications.
Northern Ireland’s rural economy provides a unique testbed for satellite data-driven applications in land management, precision agriculture, and rural broadband. Companies using EO data for climate resilience and smart infrastructure monitoring have a strong case to grow from the region.