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Spanish Space Company AVS moves to Buckinghamshire’s Westcott Venture Park

09:25 30 November in Buckinghamshire, News by Mia Champion

One of the world’s leading companies in the delivery of complex equipment and instrumentation for space and large scientific facilities has arrived at Westcott Venture Park thanks also to a little help from the Chamber of Commerce.

AVS UK is currently based at the Westcott Innovation Centre for the next two years, while the new facility is developed, and the company is already set to double its workforce.  AVS were supported, by the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Buckinghamshire LEP who work closely with the Department for International Trade to support foreign owned companies locate in the Thames Valley.

AVS UK is a subsidiary of the Spanish AVS group, with several sites and facilities in Spain, and a large facility in Ithaca, NY (USA). AVS is a EN9100 certified supplier of:

  • Complex instrumentation for Big Scientific facilities (e.g., with more than 100 instruments across the different sites of UKRI / STFC).
  • Robotics, Mechatronics, In-orbit services, Thermal systems, and Advanced Small Satellites for the Space industry (e.g., with two instruments in operation onboard the Perseverance rover in Mars).

Once a concept has been devised AVS takes the product through the full engineering process up to commissioning, including manufacturing and final testing.

It is involved in cutting edge projects such as the ISRU Demonstration Mission (ISRU-DM). A programme which aims to develop the ability to generate products with local materials in space, for example using moon rock to extract oxygen, thereby avoiding the need to transfer it from Earth.

AVS UK is also a partner on the Virgin Orbit project which provides launch services for small satellites. Building the Transportable Ground Operating System (TGOS) is crucial infrastructure that will deliver the fuel and oxidizer to Cosmic Girl which will have its first ever UK launch from Spaceport Cornwall later this year.

AVS UK has recently welcomed five new apprentices comprising three level 6-degree apprentices in mechanical engineering working on all of our projects, including the moon mission, and two level 3 (A’ level equivalent) apprentices, covering finance and IT and software.

URA Thrusters, the propulsion spin-out company from AVS, also moved to Westcott, specialising in the use of water as fuel for rocket propulsion in space. As a result, the two companies can efficiently share resources and facilities.

Richard Collins, President of the Buckinghamshire Local Chamber Advisory Group commented: “AVS UK’s move to the Thames Valley, and their subsequent reinvestment, is a testament to the Westcott’s developing attractiveness for space-related investment and the increasing opportunities to strengthen the cluster of space companies located in the heart of the Thames Valley.”

 

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