AeroSpace Cornwall to deliver the UK's first-ever MILO Ambassador programme

The MILO Insitute and Lockheed Martin have signed a deal that will see Redruth-based AeroSpace Cornwall deliver the UK's first-ever MILO Ambassador programme, reinforcing Cornwall's place at the cutting edge of UK space science.

The MILO Institute is a collective formed by Arizona State University, with a mission of “transforming space science through shared cost and global collaboration”. Lockheed Martin, which has supported MILO through its foundation, has been selected by NASA to provide payload delivery services to the moon as part of the agency's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) contract. 

The new MILO Ambassador is Major Chahal, who has established relationships with both the UK Space Agency and the European Space Agency, as well as the UK’s Innovation ecosystem through the Catapult network. 

Mr Chahal recently joined the new business development team at Goonhilly Earth Station, a satellite radiocommunication site on the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall. Mr Chahal’s work will focus on government and space agency growth opportunities. Goonhilly is a long-term partner with the MILO Institute, and both parties have the common goal of enabling more space exploration missions to achieve operational status. 

Cornwall is already an innovative area for the UK Space industry, with Virgin Orbit looking to deliver the UK's first horizontal satellite launch from Cornwall Newquay Airport in 2022 and the recent opening of the Goonhilyl’s GHY-6 antenna for deep space communications. Through this all-new collaboration between AeroSpace Cornwall and the MILO Institute, Cornwall will gain vital access to the institute's resources including space programs, R&D projects, international collaborations, and research funding pathways for mission participation.

This partnership is expected to accelerate technology maturation across the Cornwall Space Cluster. The established ecosystem, designed to mature new technologies and space science programmes, offers members of the Cornwall Space Cluster access to relevant expertise in satellite build, test, integration and operation. The cluster is working with Goonhilly to deliver the MILO Ambassador programme, focusing initially on the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly region before expanding across the UK and the rest of the world. The initiative promises to accelerate economic development in Cornwall and create a commercially viable model for the UK's space sector to use in further developing the space economy in the UK.

The MILO Institute Ambassador programme is designed to provide members with access to a global network of mission, workforce development, and economic development opportunities. As Ambassador, Mr Chahal will facilitate interaction between government, university, and industry stakeholders within Cornwall and the wider region. He will also advocate for the member community and connect stakeholders to global opportunities.

Major’s first area of focus will be to identify opportunities for the UK’s supply chain and academic partners to contribute to NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services programme, with launches planned to the near side of the moon in late 2023. 

Gail Eastaugh, Director of Innovation at AeroSpace Cornwall, said: “Our aim is to develop the space and aerospace innovation ecosystem in Cornwall and so we are delighted to be funding the MILO Institute Ambassador programme. This will connect Cornish businesses and stakeholders to global opportunities in the space sector, helping develop a sustainable economy based on cutting edge technology”.

Ian Jones, CEO of Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd, said: “This new contract to host the MILO Ambassador in Cornwall fits perfectly with our growth model. We can really leverage Major’s experience in the sector and this partnership with Aerospace Cornwall and the MILO Institute to assist other organisations to realise their ambitions in space.”

Find out more about the Cornwall Space Cluster on the Aerospace Cornwall website.