A new on-demand rentable facilities company, Westcott Shared Facilities Ltd (WSF) is now fully operational at Building 9003 at Westcott Venture Park. This milestone signifies a major advancement in the UK's space industry infrastructure, centred within the Westcott Space Cluster.
The new facility, which opened its doors in early October, provides the space sector with on-demand access to cutting-edge technical equipment that would typically require substantial capital investment.
Occupying 5,253 sq ft within the new UK Space Agency SCIF supported buildings, WSF is now offering a comprehensive range of shared facilities available for use by industry, SMEs, start-ups, academia and students working across the space and advanced engineering sectors.
Emily Waller of WSF explains: "We're delighted to be operational in Building 9003 and to be part of the growing space cluster community at Westcott. Our mission is to remove the barriers that capital-intensive infrastructure creates for smaller organisations and emerging companies. By offering flexible, transparent access to world-class facilities, we're enabling innovation without the burden of significant upfront investment."
The facility's offerings are impressive in both scope and capability. Central to WSF's provision is a 30 kN vibration test table housed within a cleanroom environment, alongside multiple ISO 7 cleanrooms with full humidity and temperature control. The company also provides advanced manufacturing capabilities, including resin and filament 3D printing across a wide range of engineering materials, from standard resins through to carbon fibre PEEK, as well as PCB printing and general workshop facilities.
WSF is also now home to one of the UK's most significant assets for electric propulsion testing: a 3m x 6m vacuum chamber with beam arm diagnostics and thrust balance. Capable of supporting up to 7kW electric propulsion testing using noble and novel gases including xenon, krypton, and even water, this facility represents the UK's largest commercially available electric propulsion test capability and ranks amongst the most capable in Europe.
What sets WSF apart is its commitment to transparency and accessibility. Through a hotel-style booking system on their website, potential users can view real-time availability and pricing, enabling organisations to plan projects with confidence and budget certainty. Whether facilities are needed for a day, a month, or on a more flexible basis, WSF's approach removes the uncertainty that often hampers project planning.
Aman Sharma, Investment Manager at PATRIZIA said: "We welcome the new WSF enterprise to the park, marking an exciting moment for the Westcott Space Cluster as it strengthens its capabilities and expands its role in advancing space research, manufacturing, and testing. The wide array of shared facilities available to industry, academia, and students is transformative."
For more information about facilities and booking, visit www.wsfltd.co.uk.
