The day will provide insight into the University of Southampton’s range of projects that use photonics for different space applications.

The day is designed to provide and introduction and insight into great work on Space projects done by our Photonics researchers in the Optoelectronics Research Centre and elsewhere in the University. There will be some quick fire presentations from the researchers, a chance for Q & A and discussion, and the morning will also include a tour of the Cleanroom facilities and the Cornerstone photonics foundry, where such technologies are manufactured.
After a networking lunch there will be a ‘meet the companies’ session, where companies can meet the project leads and other photonics researchers individually face to face through a ‘speed dating’ activity. The day will round off with a recap on the links that have been made and a summary of potential collaborations we can follow up on. It promises to be a lively and proactive day with plenty of discussion and networking opportunities built in.

Objectives

1. Make broad range of UK space companies aware of the ORC capabilities and the potential for Cornerstone to enable access to its facilities

2. Run a 'speed-dating' session involving industry CTOs (or equivalents) and ORC experts to explore potential collaborations including possible funding routes (e.g. UKSA NSIP, ESA discovery, ESA GSTP but not only...)

3. Engage UK Space Agency technology team in the process (awareness and hopefully buy-in)

Outline agenda

1. Morning plenary presentation on SSI and ORC

2. Visit to ORC

3. Networking lunch

4. Afternoon 1-1 speed dating

Outcomes

1. At least three promising new collaborations

2. Support from UKSA for next steps