Durham space conference to be attended by Florida agency

A leading United States space agency will attend a conference in north-east England, in an effort to forge connections with local businesses.

The North East Space Conference will see a delegation from Space Florida, the US state’s aerospace economic development agency, speak at the event in Durham on Wednesday.

John Bone, chair of Space North East England, said the conference would act as a catalyst for firms in the region.

Alnwick businessman Ralph Dinsley, who will also be speaking at the conference, said Florida sending a high-powered delegation was a sign things were “really coming together” in the North East.

Mr Dinsley is the founder of 3S Northumbria, which focuses on sustainability in space.

“It’s really exciting how fast the space sector in our region has grown and how much faster it is likely to grow in the next few years with big organisations now taking a real interest in the area,” he said.

All five of the region’s universities – Northumbria, Durham, Sunderland, Teesside and Newcastle – are also scheduled to attend the day-long event.

Northumbria University’s executive director of the research and innovation service management team Jenny Taylor said: “A few years ago, it wouldn’t have been the North East that Space Florida was coming to, but I think we have absolute traction now.”

She said Northumbria’s £50m North East Space Skills and Technology Centre would become an important part of the sector’s development in the coming years.

Teesside University’s senior lecturer in aerospace engineering Dr Atma Prakash said Space Florida’s involvement offered potential for international collaboration.

“It’s a real sign of ambition for the North East,” Dr Prakash said.