Welcome to the case study section of the SPAN website. Our members have written case studies highlighting the successes and challenges of Space missions. The aim is to inspire, inform, or explain why Space missions are so valuable to our society.
PTOLEMY is an evolved gas analyser, which obtains accurate measurements of isotopic ratios of light elements. It was one of ten instruments on the Philea lander of the Rosetta Mission to Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko Authors: Piece adapted from STFC Food network post with review by Dr Geraint Morgan
Read Publication
A description of UK involvement in the ESA, NASA, and Italian Space Agency mission, highlighting some of the challenges, discoveries and successes. Author: Professor David Southwood CBE
Read Publication
This case study outlines the benefits of UK involvement in the Solar Orbiter mission prior to launch. Author: Paul Eccleston
Read Publication
A Case Study of Satellite Quantum Key Distribution and Space Quantum Technologies
Read Publication
The case studies were prepared for the UK Space Agency to support the business case for future investments in the European Space Agency. The funding for the case studies was awarded under the direction of the National Space Partnership whilst operating a pilot programme from January 2022 to March 2022.
Read Publication03 December 2025
The UK Space Agency has today announced the recipients of the National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP). We extend our warmest congratulations to the academic and industry teams whose projects have been selected for support.
26 November 2025
Thank you to everyone who joined our November SPAN Town Hall. Below is a brief overview of the key updates shared across the community.
28 October 2025
We’re pleased to announce that our SPAN Whitepaper, Bridging the Gap Between Industry and Academia – led by Anushka Sharma and Professor Mark Sims (University of Leicester / SPAN), is now available to read. The paper sets out practical ways to deepen collaboration across the UK space ecosystem, including: Co-design from day zero with early academic […]
