The UK's national space laboratory, part of STFC at the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire, that designs and builds space instruments and tests satellites.
RAL Space is the UK's National Space Laboratory. It designs and builds scientific instruments that fly on satellites, tests whole spacecraft, runs data services for researchers and advises the country on space technology. Its work covers three big areas: Earth observation, a resilient society and space science and exploration. It has clean rooms, large and small test facilities, a small satellite calibration facility, a data analysis service called JASMIN, and instruments on the ground that study the atmosphere and weather. It works on more than 200 space projects and missions.
Its roots go back to 1931, when a radio research station began monitoring the upper atmosphere. In 1962 the world's first international satellite, Ariel 1, flew with instruments designed there. A Space Science Department was formed at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in 1980 and renamed RAL Space in 2010. Its instruments have flown on the James Webb Space Telescope, where it contributed to the MIRI camera, and on Solar Orbiter, which carries the SPICE instrument. In 2024 the National Satellite Test Facility opened as the UK's first large-scale satellite testing centre.
RAL Space says it aims to tackle major science and societal challenges, take a long-term view of national space research and act as the technical authority for the UK space sector. It is part of the Science and Technology Facilities Council, which sits within UK Research and Innovation. It describes itself as the space hub for UKRI. It also stresses collaboration with government, space agencies, industry, universities and international partners, and a commitment to developing UK space skills.
The laboratory is on the Harwell Campus, near Didcot in Oxfordshire, with the Chilbolton Observatory near Stockbridge in Hampshire. It employs more than 350 scientists, engineers, technologists, technicians and other staff. The leaders named on its about page include Dr Sarah Beardsley (Director), Brian Moyna (Head of Operations), Dr Jane Hurley (Head of Researchers) and Charlie Haire (Head of Business Development). It has launched five spinout companies, and its location in the middle of the largest UK space cluster means it works alongside many neighbours.
Roles here are wide. There are space scientists who analyse measurements, instrument engineers, electronics and software developers, mechanical designers, clean-room technicians who assemble delicate hardware, test engineers, mission planners and data specialists, plus finance, communications and business development staff. If you enjoy physics, engineering, computing or the idea of building something that will operate in orbit, this is the sort of place where those subjects turn into real hardware. Check the STFC and RAL Space websites for current openings.
Website: www.ralspace.stfc.ac.uk
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