Resonate Testing Joins Harwell Space Cluster

LEADING testing company, Resonate Testing has become the first Northern Ireland company to join the globally renowned Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire taking a desk at the Satellite Applications Catapult.

The Harwell Space Cluster is renowned for being the gateway to the UK Space sector and is home to some of the leading organisations in space including the UK Space Agency and the European Space Agency. First developed in 2010, the hub has grown exponentially since then and is now home to a community of 100 space organisations.

Newry based Resonate Testing, which provides high quality and bespoke testing services for a wide range of sectors, has experienced an increasing demand for services within the space sector in the last three years. Notable projects for the company include shock testing on equipment used for the ESA Lunar Pathfinder Spacecraft and James Webb Telescope missions. 

As a member of the Harwell Space Cluster, Resonate Testing has access to world-class, large-scale facilities, and will have the opportunity to experience first-hand the development of new technology and services, which will help to further the company’s growth. It will also be at the fore of providing bespoke testing services to the space industry both in the UK and further afield. 

Tom Mallon, Managing Director at Resonate Testing said; “With our increasing work in the space sector, the obvious next move was for us to join the Harwell Space Cluster, and gain access to the world-leading organisations and facilities at the Space Catapult centre in Harwell. We have always been an innovative company, and now we will have the opportunity to embrace and further develop our processes, by networking and having exposure to organisations such as the UK Space Agency, the European Space Agency and the Satellite Applications Catapult. 

“As a company, we are committed to developing our testing capabilities for the space sector. Our team of focussed engineers has spent considerable time and effort in developing and providing the best testing procedures and certifications, and we’re proud of what we can offer to our customers. To have access to over 100 organisations involved in the space sector is a game changer for us as we continue to develop our testing offerings in this area.”

Gemma Wilson, Harwell Space Cluster Manager, UKRI-STFC said, “We are very excited to have Tom and his team from Resonate Testing join the Harwell Space Cluster. Their facilities in Northern Ireland are even easier to access with the company now having a presence on the campus, and we look forward to exploring new opportunities and identifying collaboration with SMEs both at Harwell and our wider network.”  

Figures recently released in the latest ‘Size and Health survey of the UK Space Industry’ report show the number of space organisations identified across the UK rose from 1,293 to 1,590, creating 1,772 jobs. The sector now employs just under 48,800 people and supports an estimated 126,800 UK jobs across the wider supply chain.

Tom Mallon continued, “As an SME, there is a lot of potential for us to develop our work within the space sector. The recent Size and Health survey figures also note that despite the global disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, space organisations presented a robust picture, generating £17.5 billion in 2021, compared to £16.5 billion the previous year. The space sector is experiencing continued growth and with our ability to offer bespoke solutions for the industry, there is potential for major expansion and growth in this area.”

The amount the UK space sector brings to the economy has grown by £1 billion, helping launch new businesses and create jobs across the country, according to the figures released in the UK Space Industry report. Resonate Testing is well placed as the first Northern Ireland company to become part of the Harwell cluster and to grow this side of its business.