Outcomes and impact

Engineers into Industry – Since 2006, WUSAT has seen almost 100 student engineers graduate and go into industry with experience of the rigorous methodology required to take the concept of a satellite mission through design, development, test, review, build, launch & operate procedures.

Women in Engineering – Approximately 25% of our student engineers have been women. This is believed to be well over double the percentage of women in engineering in the UK (approximately 11%).

WUSAT Partnerships – Since 2006 we have worked with over 40 companies in partnership arrangements that have been mutually beneficial. We have a very strong, inclusive, team philosophy that includes companies, university staff, other organisations and anyone who contributes or expresses interest in what we do in any way. This has led to a great many benefits that have come our way through our positive ‘can do’ relationships with others. WUSAT Newsletter –

WUSAT Newsletters - Distributed regularly to an ever increasing audience. Currently, over 200 copies are distributed to all of our ex-student alumni, university contacts, our partner companies and organisations, and we have a ‘WUSAT Watchers’ group who are a mix of individuals who have attended talks or other outreach activities, and want to continue to follow WUSAT activities.

WUSAT Team Day – At the end of each academic year we invite in all of our active partners to attend a ‘Team Day’ where the two WUSAT Co-Directors present on overall WUSAT programme developments, and the current team give a technical presentation on their year’s work. We then have a meal in a Warwick conference restaurant. This is a much loved, and very important event in the calendar as it brings together all partners with the current team. We all derive a great deal of benefit from this relationship with our partners.

Outreach – The WUSAT Team, and the two WUSAT Co-Directors in particular, attend a wide range of events where we promote WUSAT, Engineering, the University of Warwick, and the benefit of studying STEM subjects generally. Dr Bill Crofts has additionally been doing this outreach activity for many years not only in the UK but in many parts of the world by working with Warwick’s International Office.

UK Space Organisations – In recent years, both WUSAT Co-Directors have become members of external organisations as a means of promoting WUSAT, the University of Warwick and satellite engineering in general. This includes membership of The Space University Network (SUN), the Midland Innovation Space Group (includes most Midlands Universities with Space capability), and the Space Academic Network (SPAN). We do our best to contribute to the wider UK Space community wherever we can.

UK SEDS – Professor Julia Hunter-Anderson is an original founder of UK SEDS (the national student Space society) and remains very active in SEDS conferences and activities.