Message from RAeS

OUR PRESIDENT

Howard Nye

Initially planned for launch in 2007, NASA, ESA and Arianespace recently jointly announced that they had selected 18 December 2021 as the formal targeted launch date for the NASA James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Since 1996, ESA and NASA, along with the Canadian Space Agency, have collaborated on designing and constructing JWST, widely considered as a follow-up mission to the hugely successful Hubble Space Telescope (HST) launched in 1990 and still operational today. ESA is providing the launch as part of its contribution to the NASA-led mission and in exchange allowing scientists from ESA Member States, including the UK, a minimum share of 15% of the total observing time. ESA will also provide 15 astronomers at the JWST Science and Operations Center (SOC) in Baltimore for the duration of the mission.

Concerning UK involvement in preparing the in-space communications infrastructure in support of future human spaceflight missions to the Moon, David Parker FRAeS, ESA Director of Human and Robotic Exploration, signed a Commercial Lunar Mission Support Services contract with Phil Brownnett, Managing Director of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) at the Royal Society, London, in the presence of Amanda Solloway, UK Science Minister, Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General, Paul Bate, the new Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency and SSTL’s Executive Chairman, Sir Martin Sweeting FRAeS. Through this contract, ESA becomes the anchor for communications services from Lunar Pathfinder, which will be the first dedicated lunar communications relay spacecraft when it launches in 2024. Lunar Pathfinder is a first step towards ESA’s ambitious Moonlight vision to create a network of lunar communications and data relay satellites serving users worldwide.

Regarding the UK’s now significant interest in the subject, the University of Warwick has launched the Centre for Space Domain Awareness to create a critical mass of research that tackles the growing threats to technology in Earth orbit. From the space debris that could collide with orbiting satellites, to the solar winds that could interfere with their electronics, the researchers at the new Centre will pioneer new work to understand and characterise the near-Earth environment to support scientific, commercial, governmental and military applications. Supported by the DSTL and UKSA, this new centre will be the first research centre in the UK dedicated to investigating the sustainable use of the near-Earth environment. The launch of the Centre was announced on 8 September at the recent annual meeting of GNOSIS (The Global Network on Sustainability in Space), an STFC network of scientists and representatives from industry that aims to raise awareness of the problem of space debris and of space sustainability.

ESA IS PROVIDING THE LAUNCH AS PART OF ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE NASALED MISSION

On 10 September, I was pleased to have participated at a special meeting of the ‘leaders’ of the Society Specialist Groups, at which Sir Brian Burridge presented the new proposal to refine the Society’s conference programme. This is particularly relevant given the important role our conferences play in enhancing Society knowledge and engaging with our members, as well as contributing to Society finances, particularly in the current situation and with a growth in potential external competition. It was agreed that we must together ensure that the proposed five major annual conferences provide both the correct degree of knowledge and a sufficient financial return from a wide and diverse audience and our ever-generous sponsors.

As I write, I very much look forward to speaking at the 2021 Young Persons Conference ‘NextGeneration Opportunities in Space’ online on 17 September, generously sponsored by Telespazio UK. Such Society events are critical to inspire young people to enter the space domain, in all the relevant areas, as technicians, engineers, academics, lawyers, managers etc and I praise the hard work and engagement of all those involved. Also on my list is online attendance at the Gerhard Sedlmayr Named Lecture organised by the Hamburg Branch on 28 September, and participation at the biannual UK Space Conference 2021, from the 27 to 29 September (this time online). I also look forward to participating at the 2021 Branches Conference on 8 and 9 October to learn more about the great success of the many online events now organised by the various Branches around the world and to discuss the ongoing questions related to diversity and inclusion. I have also been invited to speak at a Westminster Forum Seminar ‘Priorities for the UK space sector’ taking place on 14 October and, very timely, the UK’s National Space Strategy was published on 27 September.

OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE

David Edwards

September saw the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Young Persons Conference, Next-Generation Opportunities in Space, building on a main topic of interest from the recent YPC Survey. The programme gave an insight into the future of the space industry and the diverse range of career options for those starting out, with speakers sharing their stories and experiences demonstrating enthusiasm and real dedication to the sector. We are very grateful to Telespazio UK for its support.

The Society was also very pleased to host the 47th European Rotorcraft Forum (ERF), the first opportunity for this premier international event in the rotorcraft calendar to take place since 2019. Over 200 speakers and delegates from across the sector and globe joined to discuss advances in research, development, design, manufacturing, testing and operation of rotorcraft. The forum included 107 technical papers, 35 technical breakout sessions and ten high-profile plenary sessions.

We have the Climate Change Conference taking place on 19-20 October, the Flight Simulation Conference on 26-27 October and the Careers in Aerospace & Aviation LIVE recruitment fair returning on 3 November, gratefully supported by Boeing and featuring a wide range of exhibitors, including Leonardo, Martin-Baker and Cranfield University. These three virtual events are all covered in detail on our website, if you wish to attend or exhibit.

October also marks Black History Month and we will be running podcasts and a webinar, as well as supporting an Airbus/MBDA celebration event. This month’s Afterburner includes resources where you can find out more about the hidden stories of Black achievement in aerospace and aviation, from WW2 heroes to achieving human spaceflight.

We’ve recently completed End Point Assessments for the apprentice-cohorts of easyJet, GE, BAE Systems and Renishaw. Working closely with regulators and client companies we continue to support current and future apprentices through the assessments they are required to complete in order to move into their respective businesses. Although apprentice recruitment in aviation has been extremely challenging over the past 18 months, we have been pleased to provide enhanced end-to-end assessment services and, in particular, to a large apprentice cohort at British Airways.

This month, Cool Aeronautics, the Society’s primary school outreach programme, releases a space-themed version that will feature RAeS members who work in the sector.

While what led to it will no doubt be open for much debate in future years, the way in which the RAF and other military units responded to evacuate civilians and personnel from Afghanistan was simply extraordinary.

Scheduled airlines continue to operate at around 70% of pre-pandemic rates. The latest change to the UK’s traffic light system will hopefully help ease the restrictions travellers here face.

FOLLOWING THE GRADUAL RELAXING OF RESTRICTIONS, NO.4 HAMILTON PLACE HAS BEGUN TO SLOWLY COME ALIVE AGAIN

The UK government’s consultation on its ‘Jet Zero’ strategy closed this month. We are strongly supportive of the government’s ambitions for the aviation sector to be net zero by 2050, although we know it’s going to take lot of effort, money and – crucially – skilled people to get us there. That is the crux of our submission, which can be read on the Society website. In addition, the UK House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee has opened an inquiry looking at both aviation and shipping which we have also submitted evidence to.

Following the gradual relaxing of restrictions, No.4 Hamilton Place has begun to slowly come alive again, both with a cautious return of the Society and our external clients. While the winter may, again, be a challenge for our hospitals in the UK, we are hoping to see a gradual increase in our own use, as well as client events. Seeing the building so quiet has been a very strange experience compared to its usual hum.

I’d like to thank everyone for their warm welcome in my role as Chief Executive. It’s an honour to be back in the building where I was first interviewed as a graduate in 1997 and to the Society where I’ve been a member since 1999. The majority of my career has been in commercial airlines, particularly business aviation and, most recently, in membership organisations running The Air Charter Association, so it feels good to be home again. My focus is on the future of our industry in terms of technological advancement, in the development of talent and attracting everyone into our varied and exciting sector and ensuring that we remain at the very heart of the aviation and aerospace debate.

Finally, I want to add my thanks to Sir Brian. I inherit an organisation in good shape, despite the numerous challenges of the pandemic and I’m grateful to him for his very warm welcome and support.

I look forward to meeting and working with you all in the coming months and years.