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Earth from space

Unveiling Tomorrow's Frontier: The Responsible Space Innovation Centre, Fueling Sustainability in Space Industry and Governance.

Durham University has awarded £2.3m to fund a new initiative 'Responsible Space Innovation Centre'. The centre will bring significant new research staff to Durham to complement and strengthen the existing core team in Physics, Computer Science, the Business School, the Law School, and the School of Government and International Affairs, working alongside the Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience (IHRR, led by Dr Carly Beckerman).

As space usage continues to grow, monitoring and managing the space environment becomes crucial for sustainable development. With nearly 50,000 catalogued objects in space and a rapidly rising count, the need for responsible space management is evident. The Responsible Space Innovation Centre, funded initially through Durham University’s Strategic Research Fund, aims to bridge space technology, policy, and industry, creating a multidisciplinary research institute dedicated to space sustainability. Its mission is to expand space applications' capacity and capabilities while safeguarding the space environment for present and future generations.

Photo: Scott Kelly/Nasa/EPA