MDA Space UK

The UK arm of the Canadian space company MDA, with sites in Harwell, Stevenage and Manchester working on satellite payloads, robotics and communications.

About MDA Space UK

MDA Space is a Canadian company that describes itself as an international space mission partner and a pioneer in robotics, satellite systems and geointelligence, with a history of about 50 years. Its UK arm designs and builds parts of satellites, especially the digital payloads that process signals on board, and works on robotics for exploration and in-orbit servicing. It works on lunar exploration, Earth observation and communications.

Its UK business grew quickly in the early 2020s. A March 2022 company release said MDA had more than doubled its UK workforce in 2021, to 35 people, and planned to double it again within a year. In November 2023, the company said it would take on another 75 employees by the end of 2024, doubling its UK workforce at that time. The 2023 growth followed MDA's acquisition of SatixFy's digital payload division in October 2023, which added satellite payload capability in the UK.

MDA's global purpose, in its own words, is to enable highly skilled people to "continually push boundaries, tackle big challenges" and build solutions that change the world for the better. Its UK Managing Director is Anita Bernie, who joined in 2022 after nine years at Surrey Satellite Technology and a spell at KISPE. She is an Honorary Group Captain of RAF 601 Squadron and a board member of AAC Clyde Space. Chief Executive Mike Greenley said the company looks for markets with strong space ambitions and talent pools.

The UK sites in the 2023 announcement were Stevenage, a newly leased facility with room for up to 100 digital satellite payload specialists; Manchester, an existing site to be expanded for up to 40 digital satellite communications staff; and Didcot, where MDA expanded at the Harwell Campus for engineers working on exploration and in-orbit servicing missions. In 2022 the company planned a larger dedicated site at Harwell in the BEPO building, with clean rooms and a development laboratory. Overall MDA reports more than 2,900 staff in Canada, the US and the UK.

The roles named in the 2023 announcement include systems, payload, antenna, software, electronics, and assembly, integration and test. That means radio engineers, software developers, technicians who build and test hardware, and project managers. People moving from other industries such as telecoms and defence also appear in MDA's UK team. We found no culture statement beyond the global one above, so check the company's website for current UK roles.

What they do

• {'desc': 'Digital payloads and antenna systems that process and relay signals on satellites.', 'title': 'Satellite payloads'}
• {'desc': 'Robotics for lunar exploration and in-orbit servicing, including work at Harwell.', 'title': 'Robotics and exploration'}
• {'desc': 'Digital satellite communications work at its Manchester and Stevenage sites.', 'title': 'Satellite communications'}

Key facts

• UK Managing Director Anita Bernie (appointed March 2022)
• UK sites: Harwell/Didcot (Oxfordshire), Stevenage (Hertfordshire) and Manchester (2023 announcement)
• UK workforce more than doubled to 35 in 2021 and planned to double again (2022); another 75 hires planned by end of 2024 (2023 announcement, dated)
• Global company with more than 2,900 employees across Canada, the US and the UK (company 2023 release)

Website: mda.space