Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd is the latest of our Surrey Success Stories, a collection of video case studies of businesses – large and small – that are putting our region on the map. Click on the video below to discover how Surrey helped this company really take off.

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd: made in Surrey

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) is a Surrey Success Story which is literally out of this world.

From starting out in the late 1970s as an experiment in a small university lab, the company has really taken off.

And now, more than 40 years on, SSTL has 400 employees and launched more than 70 satellites into space for 22 countries.

But, more importantly, it paved a new way in space exploration – demonstrating how relatively small and inexpensive “micro” satellites could be built rapidly to perform successful and sophisticated missions.

Its story is a showcase of British ingenuity, ambition and engineering expertise. And central to it all has been its home region of Surrey.

How Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd took off

In the late 1970s, a group of researchers working at the University of Surrey, led by a young Martin Sweeting, decided to experiment by creating a satellite using commercial off-the-shelf components.

That first satellite, UoSat-1, was built in a small university lab in a cleanroom fabricated from B&Q.

Launched in 1981 with the help of NASA, the small satellite was a great success, outliving its planned three year life by more than five years.

In 1985 Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd formed as a spin-out company to transfer the results of research into a commercial enterprise.

In 2009 Airbus bought the majority shareholding from the University of Surrey, allowing SSTL to fulfill its growth potential.

It continues to go from strength to strength. Future plans include working on the Lunar Pathfinder project. This will be the UK’s first full satellite to go and orbit the moon.

Surrey: home to collaboration and innovation

“Surrey is the sole reason we exist today. I think from my friends at school who went to other universities at the same time that I did, and who tried to do one or two sort of things a little bit out of the ordinary. They tended to get sort of pushed back.”

Rather than being pushed back, Sir Martin Sweeting received backing aplenty, crucially from the University of Surrey.

The institution supported his idea and a home at the Surrey Research Park, where SSTL remains today.

Since being formed more than 40 years ago, SSTL has created more than 2,500 jobs. In the same period, its turnover has been £1.5 billion, of which £1 billion has been exports.

Key to growth has been collaboration with other Surrey businesses, including the Space South Central cluster.

Zoe Bowden, Head of Procurement and ESG, said: “We’re the largest space cluster in the UK at the moment. It’s a really fantastic way to unite industry, academia and government. Our indirect supply chain has really benefited from a lot of the SMEs that are around the local area.”

Surrey’s location is also a brilliant selling point to investors and important stakeholders.

Andrew Greenhalgh, Head of Marketing, explains: “The number of visitors we get here, the number of politicians who are interested in space, who love the fact they can be in Surrey within 35 minutes from Waterloo. We’re very proud that we can bring them down to Surrey and show them what we’re doing here.”

Looking to relocate your business to Surrey?

Thanks to our desirable location, reputation for innovation and collaborative business ecosystem, Surrey is a top business location of choice.

As part of Business Surrey, Surrey County Council offers the Invest in Surrey service.

Our specialised team offers free and confidential services. We assist companies looking to invest and grow in Surrey.

Whether you’re a start-up, SME or international company, you can benefit from specialist expertise, local knowledge and business support.

Get in touch with the team today via our business support form.