That’s one small step for an SME, but one giant leap for the NE Space Sector!
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
By Ailsa Anderson
Director of Development, Engineering & Manufacturing Network
Over the past few months, I’ve been meeting many of the Engineering & Manufacturing Network members had many of the conversations across the region have had a common theme.
“We’re interested in the space sector… but we’re not sure we belong there.”
And every time, my answer is the same — because honestly, you probably do belong there. You just might not realise how close you already are.
What does the Space Sector Actually Wants From Suppliers?
It’s easy to imagine that the space industry is all clean rooms, astronauts and scenes from a Netflix sci‑fi series, but the more companies I speak with, the clearer it becomes: space is built on the same foundations our region already excels at.
Think:
Precision engineering
Electronics, photonics, RF
Materials and additive manufacturing
Digital tech, data, software
Reliable processes, strong documentation, good QA
This is the bread and butter of so many North East and Engineering & Manufacturing Network SMEs.
And yes — the sector needs innovation too. Fresh thinking in sensing, comms, automation, advanced materials, mission support…That new‑ideas‑energy that SMEs are brilliant at.
So if you’ve ever wondered whether your capabilities translate – then they very likely do.
Adjacent Sectors Are Becoming a Launchpad
Without knowing it companies often already have 70–80% of what’s needed to pivot into space work.
If you’re operating in automotive, advanced manufacturing, defence, digital, offshore energy or electronics then you’re closer to the space supply chain than you realise.
The missing pieces tend to be things like:
What space standards look like
How procurement works
Where your product fits in a mission
That’s where Space North East England, NESST, and our university partners come in — helping businesses translate what they already do brilliantly into space‑ready opportunities.
