13 July 2023

RM Technology and SaxaVord Spaceport partner to deliver UK’s first virtual Starflight Academy at Goodwood’s Festival of Speed

RM Technology and SaxaVord Spaceport partner banner

London, U.K. July 13, 2023: RM Technology, the UK’s leading Edtech solutions and strategies provider, and SaxaVord Spaceport, the UK’s first vertical satellite launch facility and ground station located on Unst, Shetland, have partnered to form Starflight Academy – a space STEAM initiative. Co-created with leading NASA astronaut teacher Mike Mongo, the programme will be unveiled by the space educator at the Goodwood Festival of Speed - Future Lab innovation pavilion (July 13th-16th 2023).

Starflight Academy will offer children and adults an opportunity to delve into the world of space exploration. During the four-day event, the STEAM initiative will bring the excitement of space exploration to the classroom with interactive virtual classroom sessions taking place from Durham to Somerset. The initiative offers access to content tailored to 21st century learning pathways.

The academy’s launch comes as new data reveals the UK space sector contributed £7bn to the UK economy last year. RM Technology and SaxaVord Spaceport, located on the most northerly inhabited island in the UK, expect the programme to help younger generations gain unique insights into space exploration and future missions.

“The demand to drive interest and innovation to help grow the future workforce of the space industry is skyrocketing within the UK. The economics of space have never been more compelling as prior technological challenges have diminished significantly. Together with SaxaVord Spaceport and astronaut teacher Mike Mongo, we aim to ignite the passion for space exploration in younger generations by enabling them to embark on an educational journey that sparks their curiosity and creativity. We’re committed and confident that Starflight Academy will play a role in shaping the future workforce of the space industry.”

Jason Tomlinson, Managing Director of RM Technology

“STEAM skills are the building blocks for a thriving space sector that is accessible to all. With such an exciting space industry unfolding in Shetland and beyond, our mission is to prepare future generations with the interest and skills to support our sector's exciting future. This is something we have been doing locally here in Shetland as well as globally through our education programme which has seen us engage with children to foster their STEAM and teamwork skills and offer them a taste of a career in the space industry. As we look towards our first suborbital launch later this year, we're thrilled to be partnering with RM Technology at Goodwood's Future Lab to showcase the possibilities of space for tomorrow's astronauts.”

Frank Strang, Founder SaxaVord Spaceport

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