ICOMAT launches U.K. automated space manufacturing facility with £4.8 million backing

Source | iCOMAT

University of Bristol spin-out company iCOMAT (U.K.) has officially launched the opening of its new space manufacturing facility in Hardwicke, Gloucester, U.K., enabled by £4.8 million in funding from the UK Space Agency’s Space Clusters Infrastructure Fund (SCIF).

The opening event welcomed representatives from the UK Space Agency, the European Space Agency (ESA) and international space sector companies including Orbex, Lockheed Martin and Thales Alenia Space who were treated to guided tours of the fully automated factory floor and live demonstrations of the installed technology.

“We are immensely grateful for the investment from the UK Space Agency, which has been pivotal in establishing this world-class facility,” says Dr. Evangelos Zympeloudis, CEO and founder of iCOMAT. “By leveraging our expertise in advanced materials, we are creating opportunities for the space industry to develop more efficient, sustainable vehicles, while creating a domestic supply chain and strengthening the U.K.’s competitive position in the global market. Our team is excited to be fully operational.”

Work on the facility, which is located in the Western Gateway region to maximize collaboration with key players in the local space ecosystem, started in 2023 and has seen a total investment of £8.2 million, including £4.8 million SCIF funding and £3.3 million match funding. ICOMAT has also received more than £800,000 of funding through the UK Space Agency’s membership of the European Space Agency’s General Support Technology Programme (GSTP).  

The 45,000-square-foot facility represents a leap forward in composite materials manufacturing for space applications, housing iCOMAT’s Rapid Tow Shearing (RTS) capabilities (read “Industrializing rapid tape shearing for high-rate, 3D composite structures”). Two specialized production lines are featured, designed to serve multiple space market segments. The 2D-RTS line focuses on manufacturing flat structures and complex-shaped components, including satellite panels and solar array substrates. Meanwhile, the 3D-RTS production line handles geometrically complex components such as satellite and upper stage propellant tanks using advanced fiber steering technology on doubly curved parts. 

The Advanced Composites Manufacturing Enterprise (ACMA) cluster operates on a manufacturing access basis, enables end users and customers to benefit from RTS. Users can engage with the technology in various ways, from seeking lightweight improvements to existing vehicles to incorporating RTS capabilities into new design concepts. 

While primarily focused on serving the space industry, the facility’s capabilities extend to closely adjacent sectors including aerospace and automotive applications, demonstrating the versatility of the RTS technology platform. 

According to Antonia Yendell, head of space ecosystem development at the UK Space Agency, the opening of this facility represents “exactly the kind of innovation and industrial capability we want to see flourishing across the U.K. space sector.”