Members

SPAN operates an open membership to its working groups. Please contact info@span.ac.uk to join one of the working groups.

Membership of the SPAN board is outlined in the Terms of Reference for SPAN. The board comprises of the Chair of SPAN, the Chairs of each of the Working Groups, representatives of universities contributing to the funding of SPAN, and representatives of UKSA, government funded laboratories and UKRI.

SPAN Board Members

Professor Mark Sims

Professor in Astrobiology and Space Instrumentation. *- SPAN Co-Chair.

Professor Anna Hogg

Professor of Earth Observation at University of Leeds, School of Earth and Environment. *- SPAN Co-Chair. - Chair of the Earth Observation Working Group.

Professor Kate Robson-Brown

UCD Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact. *-SPAN Board (Former Co-Chair).

Dr Carly Beckerman

Associate Professor of International Relations at Durham University. *- Chair of Space and Society Working Group.

Dr John Coxon

STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellow at Northumbria University. *- Deputy Lead of the Space Science and Exploration Working Group.

Professor Stephen Hobbs

Professor of Space Sensing and Systems,Centre for Autonomous and Cyberphysical Systems at Cranfield University. *- Chair of the Engineering and Technology Working Group.

Dr Matthew Middleton

Deputy Head of School (Education) School of Physics and Astronomy at University of Southampton *- Chair of the Space Science and Exploration Working Group.

Dr Alessandra Marino

Senior Lecturer in Geography and Environmental Studies at Open University and member of AstrobiologyOU. *- Deputy Lead of Space and Society Working Group.

Dr Hugh Mortimer

Research Scientist, RAL Space. * - Deputy, Earth Observation Working Group

Professor Don Pollacco

Department of Physics at University of Warwick. *-Lead of SPAN Space Environment - Special interest Group, which spans across all working groups.

Dr Nicholas Walton

Director of Research at the Institute of Astronomy at University of Cambridge. *- Chair of the Data and Analysis Working Group.

Berend Winter

Thermal and Mechanical Engineering. Mullard Space Science Laboratory Department of Space and Climate Physics at University College London *- Deputy Lead of the Engineering and Technology Working Group.

Latest News |

08 September 2026

New UK Space Strategy

We shared yesterday the news that the Government has published the new UK Space Strategy, alongside its Technical Delivery Annex. Ahead of publication, SPAN was invited to provide a response from our Co-Chairs, Professors Anna Hogg and Mark Sims. Their statement has been included in the Government's announcement:

SPAN Summer Engagements – 2026

Over the summer Anushka Sharma had the privilege of moderating discussions and speaking on panels across the UK space sector, from security and defence at Farnborough International Airshow, to running a session on SPAN at the National Astronomy Meeting in Birmingham, and most recently joining a panel on DWC Resilience forum hosted at Fieldfisher

SPAN Town Hall Summary – 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.