Surrey Satellite Technology Limited

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) emerged from research led by Professor (now Sir) Martin Sweeting at the University of Surrey, which produced UoSat-1 — the first modern reprogrammable small satellite — launched in 1981. SSTL was formally established in 1985 to commercialize this research, becoming the pioneer of the modern commercial small-satellite industry. The company is headquartered at Tycho House, Surrey Research Park, Guildford, and operates a second Guildford site (the Kepler Building) with cleanrooms and an AIT hall (3,700 sqm, with a 125 cubic-metre thermal chamber and cranes up to 15,000 kg), plus a composites and mechanisms manufacturing facility in Bordon, Hampshire.

Over more than 40 years, SSTL has designed, built and launched approximately 70 satellites for 22 countries, with notable firsts including the first modular 50 kg microsatellite (1990), the first UK cubesat in orbit (STRaND-1, 2013), and the first in-orbit space-debris capture demonstration (RemoveDEBRIS, 2018). In 2009 Airbus acquired majority shareholding, making SSTL a wholly owned Airbus subsidiary while it continues to operate under its own brand.

SSTL's business spans satellite platforms (SSTL-CUBE, SSTL-MICRO, SSTL-MINI), Earth observation spacecraft (Carbonite, TrueColour, Precision, CarbSAR, DarkCarb, NovaSAR), navigation/GNSS-R payloads and receivers, lunar mission services (Lunar Pathfinder, ESA Moonlight), subsystems (GNSS receivers, reaction wheels, antenna pointing mechanisms), space services (ground segment, satellite operations, launch campaign management), and customer training programmes.