Image credit: Rolls Royce 
The Bristol and Bath Science Park (BBSP) offers facilities and services designed to enhance the performance and success of science and technology companies.
It provides a unique environment in which individuals and businesses can innovate and inspire.
Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL) is the UK’s most definitive academic centre for multi-disciplinary robotics research. It’s a partnership between the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) and the University of Bristol. Its community includes over 450 academics, researchers, and industry experts. BRL leads globally in advancements in service robotics, intelligent autonomous systems, and bio-engineering.
The facilities of this globally-renowned centre cover 50,000 square feet.
The Centre for Modelling and Simulation (CFMS) an independent digital engineering research organisation. It offers design and analysis services, consultancy, and IT infrastructure to help organisations envision solutions for new products.
The CFMS collaborates across industry, academia and research organisations. This includes a range of research projects funded through Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), i3P, FlyZero and more.
GKN is a 10,000 m2, ‘Open access’ collaborative R&D centre located in Filton, Bristol.
One of 4 Global Technology Centres:
Based at the Bristol and Bath Science Park, the Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (IAAPS) will provide 11,300m2 of research and development (R&D) facilities, education resources, and research cells.
The IAAPS features modern engine and chassis dynamometers as well as laboratories for combustion research. It features well-funded systems for the advancement of electrification technologies, including battery management and energy storage systems.
IAAPS will be one of the first commercially available facilities to include cells designed for developing high-voltage battery packs, supercapacitors, new cell designs, and other high-energy electrical storage technologies.
The National Composites Centre (NCC) is one of seven world-class centres comprising the UK’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult (HVMC) research centre.
At the HVMC, businesses of various sizes and sectors can access new technology and specialist engineers to drive innovation for composites.
Rolls-Royce Bristol Technology Centre is in partnership with the University of Bristol and focuses on Composites technologies.
Their centres address key technologies; and collectively they tackle a wide range of engineering disciplines. This consistent strategy of developing long-term relationships with universities has provided us with close contact to world-class academic institutions and given us access to a wealth of talent and creativity to help protect our capability into the future.
The West of England is home to a diverse space sector, with multi-national and SME companies active in the space ecosystem. We are a leading regional space hub in the UK and in the last decade, space has transformed into one of the UK’s fastest growing sectors. Trebling in size since 2010, at the last count the UK space industry now employs close to 42,000 people in all corners of the country and generates an income of nearly £15 billion every year (gov.uk).
Image credit: Goonhilly Earth Station 
Avanti Communications (“Avanti”) connects people wherever they are – in their homes, businesses, in government and on mobiles. Through High Throughput Satellite (HTS) fleet, HYLAS 1, HYLAS 2, HYLAS 3 and HYLAS 4, services are distributed through Service Providers in over 100 countries to provide ubiquitous Ka band satellite broadband. Founded in 2002, Avanti operates three of its four Ka-band HYLAS satellites their Goonhilly and Spaceport Cornwall sites.
In 2022 Avanti joined the Paris Peace Forum’s ‘Net Zero Space’ Initiative to help tackle the growing threat of space debris. The Paris Peace Forum’s ‘Net Zero Space’ initiative was launched in 2021 with the support of several leading players in the space industry. The ambition of this international alliance is to create a sustainable outer space environment by 2030 through initiating immediate action to contain and mitigate the generation of in-orbit debris.
Avanti has been named the market-leading high-throughput satellite capacity partner in sub-Saharan Africa for the second year running.
Cornwall’s ambitions are to accelerate growth of the space cluster and to grow the Space and Data sectors, building on Cornwall’s strengths in these industries.
The cluster works with national Government to grow the UK Space economy and in doing so growing Cornwall’s Space Cluster and economy.
Investment in infrastructure by local government at Spaceport Cornwall and Goonhilly Earth Station ensures the continued growth of the aerospace and space clusters there, enabling manufacturing and testing of aerospace and space flight technologies.
Goonhilly Earth Station is internationally known as a pioneer and innovator in commercial space communications and as the primary commercial ground to spacecraft communications centre for exploration missions.
Focusing on using the knowledge and experience of advanced space communications to map mission contact opportunities to international ground station facilities and develop ‘space communication digital twin’ products. These products will be used for simulation, training, deployment and collaboration in all aspects of mission preparation and operations (mission protocol development, software defined radio programming, radio frequency and optical communication systems operation and integration).
Since 2020… Goonhilly Earth Station has provided communication services for Deep Space programmes (NASA Artemis 1, I-Space Hakuto-R and ISRO Chandrayaan-3, ADTYA-L1).
WholeShip's Lizard Range is one of the largest ranges in the UK capable of testing autonomous air systems Beyond Visual Line Of Site (BVLOS).
Located at Predannack Airfield on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall, WholeShip brings together unique access to MoD owned segregated airspace, infrastructure and expertise to deliver Lizard Range: The UK’s independent, best and most cost effective UAS Test & Evaluation Facility.
Spaceport Cornwall is a consortium made up of like-minded partners working together to open up access to space in order to benefit life on earth.
In 2023, Spaceport Cornwall, the first licenced spaceport in the UK and the only operational spaceport in Western Europe conducted the UK’s first sovereign launch campaign from Cornwall Airport Newquay.
Spaceport Cornwall - Europe’s preferred horizontal launch partner, is working with future operators including Sierra Space and Space Engine Systems who are developing innovative horizontal launch systems and are looking to use the spaceport for system development and UK return missions. Spaceport Cornwall is in discussions with an established US horizontal launch provider regarding the provision of launch services from the UK and hopes to announce an agreement in early 2024 to support launches from mid-2025.
A space for business, academia and defence to explore opportunities for mutual benefit.
Located at Dorset Innovation Park, the Ministry of Defence has joined forces with Dorset Council and Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership, to open the first of its kind, in the UK, Defence BattleLab.
The BattleLab will be home to end-users from different trades and specialisations from across defence. People placed to help collaborators navigate MoD and make engagement easier.
Cyber Security and Digital Innovation Centre, part of the University of Gloucestershire is designed to be part of the solution. Working with local, national and international partners, we are helping to bring brilliant minds and businesses together to develop talent, drive research and advance knowledge in the ever-changing area of cyber and digital innovation.
The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) maximises the impact of Science and Technology for UK Defence, Prosperity and Security across government. Working in partnership with other government departments, international colleagues and industry.
The Gloucestershire Science & Technology Park (GSTP) at Berkeley Green aims to be a lively, engaging and sustainable business location which actively contributes to the economic, environmental and social health of the local community, county and region within which it is located.
GSTP provides everything you would expect from a modern business or science park.
iAero is a purpose-built 2,398 m2 research, design and innovation facility in Yeovil, built to support the competitiveness and growth of the aerospace and associated high-value design and engineering technology supply chains. The Centre will offer high-quality office, light industrial and collaboration space as well as innovation support services.
The Met Office is the national meteorological service for the UK. We provide critical weather services and world-leading climate science, helping you make better decisions to stay safe and thrive.
The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) is a world-leading centre for hydrography, specialising in marine geospatial data to support safe, secure and thriving oceans.
They are an Executive Agency and Trading Fund of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), and provide information and expert advice to UK government.
The South West is also supported by seven esteemed universities and colleges.
View at a glance data illustrating why the South West has such a strong concentration of key aerospace companies and partners, centres of excellence, universities and colleges.