UK to join the European Life and Physical Sciences Programme (ELIPS) and invest in the International Space Station

The UK Space Agency will invest £12.4 million in the long-running ELIPS programme to exploit the unique environment of space for fundamental and applied science in health, biology, materials and physics. Benefits of joining this programme include insights into the human ageing process and new lightweight materials for jet engines. Our Government has also committed £16 million to the European Space Agency’s participation in ISS by means of direct involvement in the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV or Orion) which will be able to take humans beyond low Earth orbit.

For more details see the recent BBC article and visit the UKSA news page.

European Space Agency Young Graduate Trainee Opportunities

ESA periodically publishes opportunities for Masters level graduates to spend a year at one of the Agency’s centres to undertake a 12 month project. The posts are paid and some travel is also covered.

To see the current opportunities visit this site http://www.esa.int/hr/ygt.htm

There is also an opportunity with the ESA Medical Operations team, however this YGT place is more IT than life science based. See here for details http://www.esa.int/hr/YGT/ESOC2012-010.pdf

UK space industry set to rocket with £240 million of investment

The UK’s £9.1 billion space sector is about to become even bigger business after the Government last week pledged an extra £60 million to the UK Space Agency for Europe’s space programme. The investment was announced last Friday (09/11/12) by the Chancellor during a speech at the Royal Society.

The extra investment will also secure the future of the ESA facility in Oxfordshire, including transferring ESA’s telecoms satellite headquarters to the UK and creating over 100 new high-tech jobs.

This will put Harwell at the centre of space technology and development, reinforcing the work of the Satellite Applications Catapult Centre and RAL Space. The hub will work with partners in the UK, across Europe and around the world to drive an ever-increasing range of exciting new opportunities for industry and academia

Part of this expansion will involve additional funding to the European Space Agency some of which may be considered for use to subscribe to ESA's Life and Physical Science Programme. Should this come about the UK would finally have access to long sought after microgravity R&D platforms.  

For further details see full story here.

Royal Aeronautical Society Recruitment Fair

The RAeS is holding the Live2012 recruitment fair  at its HQ in London (near Green park)

When & Where: Friday 9 November 2012, 10.30am-3.30pm, RAeS HQ, London W1J 7BQ. 

Entrance is free to visitors and the event is open to all, but pre-registration is recommended.

The event aims to bring together close links with the industry and those interested in a career in aerospace. This is a unique opportunity to meet recruiters at the only UK careers fair dedicated to the aerospace and aviation community.

What happens?

Employers and training organisations from across the industry are available to answer your questions and give you information on their recruitment opportunities. In addition there are CV and professional development workshops, company seminars and a programme of talks about the different aspects of the aerospace industry. Company seminars confirmed include GKN Aerospace, Airbus and Astrium. 

Confirmed exhibitors for 2012 include:

• AIRCRAFT RESEARCH ASSOCIATION (ARA) 

• AUGUSTAWESTLAND 

• ATKINS 

• BOEING 

• CRANFIELD AEROSPACE 

• CTC AVIATION 

• EADS AIRBUS AND ASTRIUM 

• GKN AEROSPACE 

• LOCKHEED MARTIN 

• NEWTON EUROPE 

• MESSIER-BUGGATI-DOWTY 

• STOP-CHOC 

• GAPAN 

• ROYAL NAVY 

• ROYAL AIR FORCE 

There will also be impartial pilot training advice and free aptitude tests from Gapan and free CV and general aerospace careers advice and workshops from the experienced Careers team of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Visitor registration

Pre-booking is advised and you can pre-register at http://www.aerosociety.com/Events/Event-List/661/Careers-Fair-2012 

Space Safety Magazine Issue 5

Inside the Fall 2012 Issue of Space Safety Magazine

• The International Space Safety Foundation Advisory Council
• Neil Armstrong and Sally Ride: Their Safety Legacy
• Curiosity: The Path to Success
• Legal Issues of Space Debris Remediation
• Falling Free from the Edge of Space
• Tai Chi: Taking Wellness to Space
• Taking Potentially Hazardous Asteroids Seriously
• Commercial Human Spaceflight Safety in the 21st Century
• The Red Stuff: The True Story of the Russian Race for Space

Special Report – Life Science in Microgravity

• Muscle Atrophy in Space
• Investigating Upper Limb Atrophy
• Microgravity Bone Loss Illuminates Osteoporosis Origins
• Radiation Protection on Long Duration Spaceflight

Click here to download: http://www.spacesafetymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Space_Safety_Magazine_-_Issue_5_-_Fall_2012.pdf