Welcome, Space Academy!

23 November 2023
defence
A view of earth from space with the sun being eclipsed in the background.

A view of earth from space with the sun being eclipsed in the background.

It’s official: Here at the Defence Academy, the sky is no longer the limit.

Following Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey’s announcement, we are delighted to welcome the UK’s Space Academy into our orbit here at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom.

From late 2024, the UK’s capability for delivering space training and education will be based here at Shrivenham Station. With the domains of land, air, sea, and cyber already represented at the world-class provider of professional defence and security education, the Space Academy is the Defence Academy’s final piece of the puzzle.

Delivering space training to UK defence, industry, academia, and international partners, the Space Academy will be a cutting-edge hub of activity. Providing a range of courses, it will help the UK meet emerging space requirements, upskilling the UK’s future space workforce, and keeping us ahead of the curve.

With plans to renovate areas of the Heaviside building, the Space Academy will be housed alongside the Defence Cyber Academy, meaning the two can work together to exchange knowledge, skills, and best practices.

On the news, Chief Executive and Commandant of the Defence Academy UK, Maj Gen Andrew Roe said:

“The Defence Academy, as part of UK Strategic Command, delivers world class professional defence and security education, sharpening defence’s intellectual edge and to welcome the Space Academy represents a fantastic development. Bringing together all five domains at Shrivenham Station is an important step for the delivery of deeper integration and we should be excited by the opportunities it will bring our people.”

Commander of UK Space Command, Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey said:

“Space skills are critical to the UK’s growing space sector. The UK Space Academy is already virtually preparing military personnel and MOD civil servants for their mission to protect and defend UK and allied interests in space.
Our new location at the Defence Academy in Oxfordshire will allow us to maximise our growth and inspire the UK’s future space workforce alongside industry and academia, whilst also integrating with the Defence Cyber Academy, already located at Shrivenham.”

Upskilling the UK’s future space workforce is a key focus of the National Space Strategy.

Read the full announcement from UK Space Command.