ALUMNI LEADING RESEARCH
Shaping Space Science
From foundational science to real-world applications, the University is becoming a major hub for space technology and research.
From foundational science to real-world applications, the University is becoming a major hub for space technology and research.
Every day, invisible digital systems ensure that our world keeps running—enabling the critical services woven into our economies, guiding navigation across land, sea and air, and warning of approaching disasters—these systems form the digital lifelines that underpin our global society.
As our dependence on these space-enabled systems grow, strengthening their resilience is crucial. At Heriot-Watt, our researchers are shaping the solutions that will ensure these systems are future-proofed.
“We have a wide-ranging collaborative community across our campuses that combines world-leading space research, spin-in and spin-out of innovative companies, and collaboration in large national and international projects,” explains Professor George Goussetis, Associate Executive Dean for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship and professor of satellite communications and antenna engineering. “It is an incredibly interdisciplinary picture.”
“In quantum technologies, such as sensing and communications, we are a leading institution,” adds alum Associate Professor Ross Donaldson. “Heriot-Watt has been working on various quantum innovations for a long time, and now these are being recognised as essential for use in space. We’re seeing growing interest from international companies looking to collaborate with us, and there’s real momentum to getting our technologies deployed in space. I think it’s fair to say we’re not just following trends—we’re shaping them.”
We’re not just following trends – we’re shaping them.”
Dr Ross Donaldson
Enhancing the backbone of modern society
Building the resilience of Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) services
Our solutions will deliver PNT services that exploit available satellite communication networks as signals of opportunity.”
Professor George Goussetis
Position Navigation and Timing (PNT) services are key to our modern world, providing accurate geographic locations, precise movement guidance, and nanosecond-level time synchronisation. Critical infrastructure—from global financial networks, emergency services and defence to power grids and telecommunications—rely on PNT services and would experience severe disruption or failure without them. “Our collaboration with Celestia UK, which established a permanent base in the University’s research park in 2021, is enhancing the resilience of PNT services,” Professor Goussetis explains.
PNT services are routinely provided by Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), which are increasingly vulnerable to interference such as jamming, spoofing, and geopolitical disruption. “With Celestia, we are developing technologies for resilient alternatives to GNSS,” explains Professor Goussetis. “Our solutions will deliver PNT services that exploit available satellite communication networks as signals of opportunity (SoOP). These signals are abundant, significantly stronger than GNSS, and operate at higher frequencies, creating a system that is more difficult to spoof or jam.”
Real world application of this work is being further strengthened through NAVSYS Corporation’s PNTaaS (PNT as a Service), which has joined the University’s GRID incubator to deliver commercial PNT services based on SoOP. “We are working with PNTaaS under a Knowledge Transfer Partnership programme to develop compact user terminal antennas for those services,” adds Professor Goussetis.
The Satellite Ground Station (SGS) at the University’s Edinburgh campus, which provides an open flexible platform for accessing and transmitting satellite radio signals, is also playing a central role in the partnerships with Celestia UK and PNTaaS, hosting experimentation and equipment that is accelerating solutions.
Protecting critical infrastructure
Working to strengthen resilience in satellite connectivity
The modern world relies on uninterrupted connectivity, and satellite-based systems provide the only practical route to a resilient international communication infrastructure. Connectivity resilience isn’t just about keeping us all online, but about data efficiency and security that protects critical infrastructure from a range of challenges, including natural disasters and cyber threats.
Heriot-Watt’s Satellite Ground Station (SGS) supports major national initiatives aimed at strengthening resilience in satellite connectivity. “One example is the UK Space Agency funded MAMUT (Mobility and Autonomy Market User Terminal) project,” comments Professor Goussetis. “The multi-orbit, multi-beam terminal is designed to deliver resilient, high-speed global connectivity for static, mobile, and autonomous applications in remote areas.” Highly portable, the terminal can connect with satellites across multiple networks and orbits, reducing the reliance on any specific satellite operator to ensure robust connectivity. “As part of this project, our researchers are applying advanced AI techniques to autonomous selection among a wide range of operators across different orbits, in order to deliver seamless, high-speed connectivity in even the most remote locations,” Professor Goussetis adds.
The Satellite Ground Station Facility (SGSF) is hosted by Heriot-watt University.
The SGS has also accelerated the growth of INFINECT, a Heriot-Watt spinout bringing to market electronically steerable flat panel antenna technology for multi-orbit satellite connectivity. “This is the culmination of over 10 years of research at the University,” explains Professor Goussetis. INFINECT has successfully demonstrated connectivity across both GEO (Geostationary) and LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellites and aims to support UK and European sovereign capabilities for flexible and resilient communications on the move. “The distinct potential of this solution has recently been recognised by the European Space Agency, which awarded INFINECT a Business Incubation Centre grant in June 2026,” Professor Goussetis adds.
Advancing ultra-secure communications
leading a landmark UK research project
SPOQC’s goal is to demonstrate space-to-ground Quantum Key Distribution, which is crucial to enabling ultra-secure data transfer.”
Dr Ross Donaldson
The rapid advancement of quantum computing poses a severe threat to digital security. Powerful quantum machines will easily break current encryption methods, so resilient alternatives need to be developed.
“The SPOQC (Satellite Platform for Optical Quantum Communications) mission is advancing understanding of quantum information exchange between space and Earth,” explains Associate Professor Ross Donaldson, “and will deliver essential insights for building global-scale quantum secure networks.” Heriot-Watt leads the Integrated Quantum Networks (IQN) Hub which is responsible for launching the pioneering SPOQC.
Quantum communication enables highly secure data transfer, where any attempt at interception can be immediately detected. “While terrestrial fibre networks already support quantum communication on national scales, long distances (intercontinental) impose significant limitations and affect the quality of the signals,” Associate Professor Donaldson adds. “Satellite-based systems provide a route to address this problem, unlocking connectivity to “nomadic platforms” as well, and SPOQC’s goal is to demonstrate space-to-ground Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), which is crucial to enabling ultra-secure data transfer,” he explains. The SPOQC mission will be a vital enabler towards truly global quantum communication via integration into terrestrial UK networks.
Heriot-Watt’s leadership in this field has also stimulated involvement in other satellite national and international quantum communication projects, making us a critical node in the world’s developing global quantum network.
Training future leaders
Equipping the next generation of space engineers and scientists
Space is inherently interdisciplinary where technologies are evolving rapidly. “Our leadership in resilient space systems has been recognised by our role as coordinators in the €4M Horizon Europe SPARE project, which began in November 2025,” explains Professor Goussetis. Centred around Thales Alenia Space, Europe’s largest satellite integrator to which Heriot-Watt is now a privileged academic partner, SPARE will train 13 future space leaders across engineering, law and economics so they can “integrate technological innovation with environmental stewardship, and build the capabilities needed to ensure that Europe’s expanding presence in orbit is safe, sustainable, and strategically strong” Professor Goussetis adds.
SPARE WILL TRAIN
future space leaders
Horizon Europe SPARE project
Working to be at the forefront of global space research
As space exploration and technology continue to advance at a rapid rate, Heriot-Watt is focused on being at the forefront of global space research. “So far, our research has delivered significant breakthroughs, strengthening Scotland’s photonics cluster and growing space sector,” comments Professor Goussetis. “We will continue to bring together our world-leading expertise in quantum technologies, photonics, satellite communications, and aerospace engineering to create the solutions our world needs.”
Learn more about our pioneering research
To discuss collaboration opportunities, contact our business and enterprise team on GRID@hw.ac.uk
Read our Research Impact Report [TBA nearer publication]
