4 | British Made Awards 2022 Sep22068 Recognised Leaders in Space Software & Hardware Design 2022 Over six million people attended 1851’s Great Exhibition in London, with this number amounting to approximately a third of Great Britain’s population at the time. The event sparked a national interest in science, technology, and the arts, with its profits being used to establish the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Science Museum, and the Natural History Museum. Indeed, the event was revolutionary, and its legacy continues to this day, with many contemporary businesses hoping to carry on the torch. One such business is Blueshift Manufacturing, a company that provides specialist services to companies within the space industry. Founded in 2012, Blueshift Manufacturing’s genesis came in order to assist the renowned brand SpaceX with development of the Falcon 9 – the world’s first orbital class reusable rocket – and Dragon spacecraft. During its inaugural project, Blueshift Manufacturing undertook the design of systems for flight qualification, avionic testing, and the composite manufacture of components. Such work was carried out with the goal to push the company from a research & development firm to a mass manufacture organisation, which was – at the time – unheard of in the industry. The company’s logo, which could at first be mistaken for Saturn, is actually showcasing Neptune, drawing meaning from the marriage of heaven and earth in Roman mythology. ‘We see it as representing Blueshift’s core business of increasing accessibility to space and space exploration,’ adds Matthew Thorne, Technical Director and Control Systems Engineer. Moreover, sightings of Neptune’s rings have been incredibly rare, with the most recent capture taking place in September 2022 – producing the clearest view of the spectacle in over 30 years. Perhaps this could unintentionally represent just how impressive Blueshift Manufacturing’s services are. With the industry undergoing explosive growth, it is clear to see why industry in the United Kingdom is keen to get involved – of course, this means that Blueshift Manufacturing has to stand out. Matthew explains, ‘although it has been regarded as a small player globally, government led initiatives such as the National Space Partnership and the UK Space Agency’s £1.7m injection for funding space sustainability puts the UK in a prominent position for global market growth.’ Blueshift hopes to capitalise on the reduction of space flight ready hardware costs that come along with such developments, preparing itself to become a key player within the market. Henceforth, the company’s team is gearing up to meet this growth, working exceptionally hard to drive progression. Built to support such evolution, Blueshift Manufacturing’s internal culture is one of respect and everyone is therefore entitled to their opinion no matter what role they have in the company. As such, regular meetings and social events are held, and it is thanks to these formal and informal gatherings that the whole team is on the same page. In terms of hierarchy, Blueshift Manufacturing operates on a flat organisational structure, meaning that every member has their own role, but no one individual presides over the other. It is with this in mind that Blueshift Manufacturing strives to hire the best possible candidates. When asked about the hiring process, Matthew noted that, ‘If an individual is known to one of our engineering team they will ordinarily be put through with a selection of the other candidates. This sounds nepotistic but the team member who puts forward a candidate is not allowed on any stage of the interview or recruitment process. It is through such mechanisms that we maintain our ‘family feel’ to the organisation. I was also a founding member of a STEM charity in the US which was designed to encourage youngsters of all persuasions into STEM fields, especially young women who are often overlooked in science, technology, and engineering.’ With its 10th anniversary rapidly approaching, Blueshift Manufacturing is looking forward to leveraging its success to bring more innovations to life, contributing to the future of space travel. Over the next year, Blueshift Manufacturing will be releasing a number of product lines that have been designed to complement its service offerings. In addition, the company is currently working on a satellite communications and brokerage platform, which it hopes will provide its customers with a return on the investment for their projects. ‘Busy’ is one way to describe the company’s future, but its invaluable hard work is sure to bring in incredible results – not only for the company, but for science, and subsequently, humanity. Matthew concludes with a quotation from Newsweek Magazine’s 1977 profile of Carl Sagan, ‘Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.’ Contact: Matthew Thorne Company: Blueshift Manufacturing Web Address: www.blueshift.space Space: its something that unites everyone through a natural curiosity in the unknown. There is always a new discovery on the horizon that holds the potential to unlock a greater understanding of not only the universe, but also our home planet. Blueshift Manufacturing holds the key to these revelations. The unique company works with leaders in the space exploration industry, providing them with quality space hardware products.
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