The two key themes for this new centre being built are “Space” and “Big Data” and as such it will host a number of facilities, including:

• A space-focused Business Incubation Centre (BIC), based on the successful model being run by STFC in collaboration with ESA at Harwell – but supporting not just down-stream (i.e. application) start-up companies, but also up-stream (i.e. space hardware / satellite) start-up companies. This BIC will incubate 6 new start-ups per year, hosting them for 2 years each – so housing a total of 12 start-ups at any time.
• Business support services – to support the growth of the space-focused businesses being incubated in the BIC, based on the proven STFC model.
• Dedicated NanoSat / CubeSat test and integration labs and cleanrooms – providing access to facilities both for the incubated companies and other SMEs, for testing space hardware. These small hardware (nano-satellite) test facilities compliment the larger satellite test facilities available through STFC’s RAL Space at Harwell.
• Data visualisation and remote presence suite – with direct connections to STFC High Performance computing teams across the UK to enable business / R&D interaction with organisations across the UK and facilitate cutting-edge Big Data based research, including the exploitation of satellite data.

The UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UK ATC) is the UK's national centre for astronomical technology.

It is part of the Science and Technology Facilities Council. The UK ATC designs and builds instruments for many of the world's major telescopes, and also applies this expertise in remote-sensing for diverse fields from environmental-monitoring to retinal-imaging. They also project-manage UK and international collaborations and their scientists carry out observational and theoretical research into questions such as the origins of planets and of galaxies. Based at the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh, and operated by STFC, its technology can be found in telescopes both on the ground and in space.