NanoAvionics to create 400 jobs with new assembly plant in Basingstoke

European nanosatellite platform manufacturer NanoAvionics is set to expand in the UK in a move that could create up to 400 jobs.

The Lithuanian firm will open a new 250sqm assembly and testing site in Basingstoke later this month and said it will develop a “cluster” of local businesses that will supply its new facility.

NanoAvionics, which also has a base in Texas, produces nanosatellite buses, which form the body of a satellite and hold its scientific equipment.

The company opened a sales office in Oxfordshire in January of last year as part of a “scoping exercise” and has since secured a number of sizable commercial customers.

Vytenis Buzas, chief executive of NanoAvionics, said it was now “betting big on the UK market”.

“We have really serious customers there, they trust us, and for these reasons we are now making a second round of investment into our UK infrastructure,” he said.

“To grow our satellite production capabilities locally, we are going to connect with companies in Britain such as printed circuit board suppliers, electronics manufacturers, cable assembly providers, producers of mechanical components and surface treatment providers.” 

Robin Sampson, the company’s head of UK operations, said that one of its “fundamental challenges” was to grow its UK arm to 100 people from 10 within a year.

“There aren’t many places you could find the talent pool that would enable you to do that,” he said.

“But the Basingstoke area is actually one of those places where you have that density of talent and innovation and support that can enable you to achieve that kind of growth.”

Mr Sampson said it would allow the company to initially build between 20 and 30 satellites per year but insisted that it could grow well beyond that.

“We could see ourselves going beyond that 100 people mark, and ultimately we’re probably talking about a maximum potential of between 300 and 400 people to deliver on these bigger nanosatellite constellations,” he said.

The NanoAvionics UK boss also claimed the company would help produce satellites that will increase 5G coverage in hard to reach areas.

Mr Sampson also said that the company was considerably ahead of its rivals in product development and that it could bring some “technological knowledge transfer” to local start-ups in order to stimulate its supply chain.

“I think there’s not much doubt that over the past 10 years or so the UK has really emerged as a powerhouse in the global space technology market,” he said.

The availability of funding for broadband services globally is set to boost the value of the nanosatellite industry over the coming years. It is currently worth around $1.8bn (£1.36bn) but has been tipped to grow to $4.8bn by 2025, according to business research group Markets and Markets.

In September, four Government-backed nanosatellites that were built in Glasgow were launched into low Earth orbit. The devices, built by Spire Global, were backed with £6m of state funds.

Continued innovations in satellite production has made space more accessible than ever before for commercial operators. Companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX has also led to more regular launches.