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Science Programme Advisory Committee (SPAC) terms of reference

Updated 27 September 2022

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Science Programme Advisory Committee (SPAC) terms of reference

The Committee will meet at least three times a year usually before each ESA Science Programme Committee meeting and will:

  • brief the UK delegates on the ESA Science Programme Committee and subsidiary committees, taking due regard of the policies set by BIS, the UK Space Agency and the STFC science strategy
  • provide advice on the overall UK strategy for involvement in space science projects, taking account of issues relating to:
  1. space science
  2. technology
  3. industry
  4. potential spin-off applications
  5. science and society opportunities
  6. education and skills
  • provide advice on the ranking and relative priority of current and potential future space science projects as an input to both funding and review decisions conducted by or for the UK Space Agency, taking account of the factors listed above
  • provide advice on the promulgation of the opportunities and benefits arising from the space science programme to the broader industrial and academic community and to identify where possible, potential funding routes for spin- off applications
  • report through the Chair to the Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency.

Membership

The membership should include: all UK members of the subsidiary committees to ESA’s SPC; representatives of the UK space industry (e.g. through UKSpace); representatives from other relevant UK Space Agency committees; and representatives of the appropriate UK Space Agency stakeholders.

In particular, there shall be a representative nominated by STFC, normally a member of Science Board. Membership should be supplemented by experts on specific missions or fields as necessary for a particular meeting. Representatives of the UK Space Agency Executive shall be ex officio members; and those of STFC shall be in attendance.

Science Programme Advisory Committee (SPAC) Membership

Name Affiliation Representation/Role
Prof Adam Amara adam.amara@port.ac.uk University of Portsmouth SPAC Chair, ESA SPC advisor
Prof Andrew Coates a.coates@ucl.ac.uk UCL-MSSL STFC Science Board
Prof Caroline Smith caroline.smith@nhm.ac.uk Natural History Museum UKSA SEAC Chair
Prof Mark Sims mrs@leicester.ac.uk University of Leicester SPAN Chair
Dr Nic Walton Naw@ast.cam.ac.uk IoA, University of Cambridge SPAN SDAWG Chair
Dr Robert Massey Rmassey@ras.ac.uk Royal Astronomical Society Royal Astronomical Society
Paolo D’Arrigo paolo.darrigo@airbus.com Airbus Expert Advisor
Dr Chris Chaloner chris.chaloner@trymsystems.co.uk Trym Systems UKSpace SME Chair
Mr Paul Thompson PBTHOMPSON@qinetiq.com Qinetiq UK space industry/SSEC Chair
Mr Paul Eccleston paul.eccleston@stfc.ac.uk RAL Space, STFC Expert Advisor
Prof Tim Naylor T.Naylor@exeter.ac.uk University of Exeter Expert Advisor
Dr Clare Watt Clare.watt@northumbria.ac.uk Northumbria University Expert Advisor
Prof Matt Griffin Matt.griffin@astro.cf.ac.uk Cardiff University Expert Advisor
Dr David Hall david.hall@open.ac.uk The Open University Expert Advisor
Dr Carly Howett carly.howett@physics.ox.ac.uk University of Oxford Expert Advisor
Prof Robert Walsh RWWalsh@uclan.ac.uk University of Central Lancashire Expert Advisor
Prof Christine Done chris.done@durham.ac.uk University of Durham Expert Advisor
Prof Carole Haswell carole.haswell@open.ac.uk The Open University SPAN SSEWG Chair

In Attendance

Name Affiliation Representation/Role
Dr Colin Vincent/Chris Woolford STFC STFC Head of Astronomy

Ex Officio members

Name Affiliation Representation/Role
Dr Caroline Harper UK Space Agency Head of Space Science
Mrs Louise Ingram UK Space Agency SPAC Secretary
Mr Ryan King UK Space Agency Lead Science Programme Manager

Updated September 2022

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