ESA’s UK Facility

14 May 2013 David Willetts, UK Minister for Universities and Science, and Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA Director General, today unveiled the Agency's first UK facility: ECSAT, the European Centre for Space Applications and Tele , located at the Harwell Oxford campus. ECSAT supports activities related to tele , climate change, technology, science and 'integrated applications' - the combined use of different space and terrestrial technologies, data and infrastructures to create new everyday applications. The development of innovative public-private partnerships will be emphasised. David Willetts noted: "The UK space industry is increasingly important to growth, contributing over £9 billion to the economy every year and supporting thousands of highly skilled jobs. ESA's decision to locate its high-tech facility in this country shows that we are creating the right environment for innovation and cutting-edge research. "The centre will benefit from working closely with other space scientists and businesses at Harwell, including the Satellite Applications Catapult being officially launched today." Despite the current economic climate, the UK space industry has been identified as a growth sector. With 70% of its output being exported it is a major player on the global stage.