Space experts from across the world assemble at Sandy Park

More than 150 space experts from the UK and across the world travelled to Sandy Park in Exeter for a four-day conference on space weather and space environment.

The Institute of Physics-hosted event celebrated 10 years of 24/7 space-weather operational forecasting in the UK which was co-organised with UK Research and Innovation’s Science & Technology Facilities Council’s Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Space group (UKRI STFC RAL Space) and the Met Office Space Weather Operations Centre (MOSWOC).

It was the second UK-focused meeting, falling a decade after the creation of the MOSWOC in Exeter. It also celebrated new capabilities that have been delivered through the SWIMMR (space weather instrumentation, measurement, modelling and risk) programme.

Event lead Mario Bisi, UKRI STFC RAL Space’s head of space weather, said “The long-term purpose of this new UK space weather and environment series of meetings is to bring together space safety scientists, engineers, forecasters, end-users, and policy makers from across the various UK interests and activities. This year’s meeting focused on the 10-year celebration as well as the next steps beyond the SWIMMR programme and seizing opportunities to drive further advances going forward.

“With a UK core, the meeting was outward looking, welcoming international participation. We recognise the spirit of multinational collaboration needs to be at the heart of enhanced understanding of, and resilience to, space weather.”

Sandy Park was the ideal venue for this event, not only due to its proximity to the MOSWOC, but because its conferencing and banqueting facilities also include the on-site Courtyard by Marriott hotel. This meant delegates could sleep and eat breakfast at the hotel before walking over Sandy Park to attend the day’s meeting and enjoyed their lunchtime and evening meals there too. All four days were spent on the same purpose-built leisure complex.

The region’s leading conferencing venue is also close to Exeter Airport or can be accessed by train or road to ensure delegates could travel to Sandy Park with ease. Where delegates were not able to attend in person, they were able to log in as virtual guests.

Viv Thomas, the IOP’s events and conference organiser, said: “The Sandy Park team were fabulous. Thank you for everyone’s help and support. It was totally brilliant.”