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
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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
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This case study outlines the benefits of UK involvement in the Solar Orbiter mission prior to launch. Author: Paul Eccleston
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A Case Study of Satellite Quantum Key Distribution and Space Quantum Technologies
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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 Publication24 June 2026
SPAN Town Hall reinforced SPAN's role as the national voice of the UK space academic community and highlighted the growing recognition across government that academia is central to delivering the UK's ambitions in space through research excellence, innovation and strategic collaboration.
28 March 2026
SPANS’s Space Data White Paper This paper generated to review space data state of the art and areas where policy and investment can underpin the UK ambitions in Space
04 March 2026
Space firms to scale-up and thrive in Britain with government backing for bolder strategy
