Global consultancy and construction company Mace has delivered the National Satellite Test Facility (NSTF) at Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire, England, UK.

The NSTF offers a complete set of co-located infrastructure for satellite development, integration, and testing.

It is said to be the UK's first of its kind, featuring a lightweight steel frame with CLT floor slabs and built around the country's largest vacuum test chamber.

It will be used to test and host several activities such as large satellite preparation and solar array deployment, centre of gravity and moments of inertia testing, acoustic testing, large space test chamber and electromagnetic compatibility, and antenna testing.

With this facility, the UK space industry can construct and test advanced space payloads and satellites that weigh up to seven tonnes.

Mace collaborated with the client team and space specialists of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) to create the facility’s comprehensive design from concept to completion.

The STFC’s RAL Space laboratory unit will manage the NSTF.

The project was announced in 2018 and has seen an investment of £116m since.

Mace Public Sector Construction managing director Terry Spraggett said: “It has been a truly inspiring journey to work on such a pioneering project together with some of the UK’s brightest minds.

"To build this highly complex project the client challenged us to bring together technologies and innovations to deliver a world-class facility, that will cement the UK’s leading position in space technologies.”