UCL to form closer ties with the European Space Agency

A memorandum of collaboration to be agreed by UCL and the European Space Agency (ESA) is one of the most comprehensive to date between ESA and a university and builds on existing close co-operation on missions to study space weather and other phenomena in space. The memorandum, due to be signed by Jan Woerner, Director General of ESA, and David Price, UCL Vice-Provost (Research), will cover a swathe of topics ranging from planetary science to space policy, governance and security. The partnership will help to inspire young people to study science, technology, engineering and maths, and deliver job opportunities in a high-growth industry. It aims to maximise the expert support that ESA provides for space-related research programmes at UCL, working together to improve lives and communities. The agreement represents one of the most comprehensive collaborations established to date between ESA and a university. It establishes ESA_Lab@UCL as the ninth such collaboration in Europe and the second in the UK. The memorandum of collaboration signed by the two organisations is unique in its breadth, covering 16 themes.