RAL Space Contact RAL Space

Contact RAL Space

Work with us

RAL Space works with a wide range of organisations, including SMEs, primes, space agencies and academia. For more details about our capabilities, please email: ralspaceenquiries@stfc.ac.uk

Careers with us

RAL Space has a wide range of opportunities available for people at every stage of their career. Find out more about careers at RAL Space.

Media enquiries

Please email our communications team, Madeleine Russell: madeleine.russell@stfc.ac.uk

Activities for the public

RAL Space has an extensive outreach programme for more information, please visit our public engagement pages, our events section and/or email: ralspaceenquiries@stfc.ac.uk

Find us

RAL Space

STFC RAL Space

Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

Harwell Campus

Didcot

Oxfordshire

OX11 0QX

Tel: +44 (0)1235 445000

Find out how to get to the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

Chilbolton Observatory

STFC Chilbolton Observatory

Stockbridge

Hampshire

SO20 6BJ

Tel: +44 (0)1264 860 391

Find out how to get to the Chilbolton Observatory.

Our Management

Sarah Beardsley

Dr Sarah Beardsley - Director RAL Space

Sarah became Director of RAL Space in 2022 and leads around 350 expert staff to deliver science and technology programmes for the UK space sector.

Fisheye view of cloud over Chilbolton Observatory.

Brian Moyna – Head of Operations

Brian was appointed to the role of Head of RAL Space Operations in 2019, with a focus on resource planning, estates management, delivery and stakeholder engagement.

Fisheye view of cloud over Chilbolton Observatory.

Dr Jane Hurley - Head of Researchers

Jane leads the team of world-renowned researchers at the UK’s national space laboratory, taking up this role in 2024.

Woman smiling at the camera

Madeleine Russell - Head of Communications

Madeleine leads the communications team at RAL Space having worked in the team since 2017.

Science Theme Leads

Fisheye view of cloud over Chilbolton Observatory

Paul Eccleston - Space Science and Exploration Theme Lead

Paul is Space Science and Exploration Theme Lead at RAL Space. He is also the manager for the Ariel Mission Consortium, a group of more than 60 institutes across 19 countries in Europe and North America.

Ian McCrea

Professor Ian McCrea - Resilient Society Theme Lead

Ian brings together brings together expertise and ideas so that hazards from space weather and space debris can be understood and mitigated.

Delivery Theme Leads

Nick Waltham

Dr Nick Waltham FREng - Research and Innovation Theme Lead

As Head of Imaging Systems, Nick leads a team specialising in the system design, research and development, engineering, manufacture and test of bespoke electro-optics instrumentation.

Philip Kershaw

Philip Kershaw - Head of the Centre for Environmental Data Analysis

Philip leads the Centre of Environmental Data Analysis (CEDA), a division of data scientists and software developers providing data and information services for the environmental sciences community on behalf of NERC.

Sean Stewart - Acting Head of Environmental Test

In July 2024 Sean took over the position of Head of Environmental Test in RAL Space.