Gravitilab received support through the GTI programme to support the engine testing and development of the ISAAC suborbital launch vehicle. ISAAC is a high-powered vehicle for short duration space access, offering research and testing services in microgravity. The vehicle is powered by a hybrid rocket engine, which is different technology to that currently used in the vehicles servicing the institutional contracts for the European Space Agency and NASA, which use solid propellants. The hybrid engine uses a solid fuel (paraffin wax) and liquid oxidiser (nitrous oxide). The blend of the paraffin is very specific and requires a lot of testing to validate mathematical models already created, and to optimise performance. The project will support this test campaign and enable this crucial R&D cycle. Gravitilab’s engine test facility is based in North Norfolk and is unique in the UK as a test facility for larger scale hybrid rocket engines.
The project is also key to enabling a more sustainable future, and this can be seen in various ways. Initially, the engine produced will produce 75% less CO2e than the current solid-propellant vehicles which are servicing ESA and NASA contracts, a significant saving per launch. However, launch is only a small part of the CO2e cycle, only around 5% of the total that should be considered, and there is far more in the supply chain. Once Gravitilab has developed the initial hybrid engine then work will being on development of a biofuel which shall be carbon neutral. The ISAAC vehicle will also be reusable, and so recovery systems are being development and tested to not simply dispose of sections of existing rockets, which for many decades has been standard industry practice.
As Gravitilab works for a more sustainable future, we are very grateful for the support of the Norfolk and Suffolk LEP and European development fund.
If you’d like to hear more about our R&D projects or gain insight into the services we offer then please email [email protected].
The New Anglia Business Growth Programme Small Grant Scheme, funded by the Local Enterprise Partnership for Norfolk and Suffolk and the European Regional Development Fund, was utilised to co-fund the acquisition and growth of our IT infrastructure, underpinning our rapid scale-up plans focused on delivering a microgravity and space testing service. Our testing services will help test payloads in varying gravitational and space environments, giving a more affordable access route for research, testing and qualification. The grant has supported us in growing our IT infrastructure, increasing our cyber security rating, and allowing us to provide the technology needed to develop our launch vehicles and testing services.
This is an exciting period of research and development within the company and with this grant being awarded to us, it has been a fantastic boost to achieving our key milestones. The team at Gravitilab are enjoying using their new IT equipment and aerodynamic analysis software, and we will continue to update on our successful testing programme.
If you’d like to hear more about our R&D projects or gain insight into the services we offer then please email [email protected].
Welcome to Gravitilab, please put the headset on and join the journey to discover more…
Listen out for the famous names of our fleet and you could be in with a chance to win MAX, a model of one of our sounding rockets.
Keep your phone to hand, so you can enter the competition and answer the following questions:
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Gravitilab Aerospace Services is based near Norwich. An exciting, fast-growing SpaceTech start-up . We are now seeking a new member of the team to work across the business supporting in the running of the office alongside finance and administration tasks.
Job Title
Administrative/Finance Assistant
Job Description
This role is crucial to the smooth running of the business and we require someone with exceptional organisational skills, attention to detail, initiative and flexibility. This is an office based role for 5 days per week, (but for the right candidate we could be open to reduced daily working hours). Some understanding of events, marketing and social media would be an added bonus.
Why Gravitilab?
- Be involved in a fast-paced, start-up environment where your contribution really matters.
- Work alongside a highly passionate and energetic team
- Unique opportunities to progress and expand responsibilities within the company as it grows
Role Description
- Provide confidential support across the business (to Directors and within HR)
- Provide high quality hospitality to visitors and at Board meetings, ensuring appropriate supplies are always in place
- Maintain stocks of guest ‘goodie bags’ and marketing materials
- Deal with incoming calls in a professional manner, re-directing or taking messages and using initiative to deal with enquiries
- Deal with all incoming and outgoing postal/delivery requirements
- General filing as required, (both electronic and physical) with strength in file-server structure and organisation
- Manage all travel arrangements for Directors and the wider team, including vehicle hire and logistics for testing and launch operations
- Support with the management of the company’s chosen charity
- Support in creating a great physical environment for everyone to work within (across office, meeting rooms and break-out environments)
- Support in organising staff activities and events
- Support in organising company/marketing events
- Point of contact for IT provider
- Lead the induction process for new members of the team, ensuring they have appropriate IT hardware and training and oversee the onboarding process across IT, office etc
- Work with the H&S officer to ensure staff have appropriate PPE equipment and crew clothing and stocks available for guests/visitors
- Assist with the HR support functions, across the Breathe platform, logging sick leave and staff holiday management
- Support the MD in gatekeeping the Purchase order and Invoicing processes across the business and tracking finances under MDs direction
- Support with R&D and Grant tracking/reporting
- Ensure staff expenses are reported in a timely manner
- Liaise with external finance department on day-to-day finance operations of the business as required
- Support FD and finance team with management account queries and audits
- Liaise with suppliers to ensure invoices received appropriately and develop good relationships with key suppliers.
- Be a point of contact for the landlord/premises/fire practice etc
- Be a Fire Marshall/First Aider for office requirements (training available)
- Organise office keys and security barrier fobs for staff as required
- Be a point of contact for Cleaning contractors and ensure their quality of work is monitored
Required Skills, Qualifications and Experience
Skills
- Full Microsoft suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint, Teams) with Excel skills in data manipulation and presentation
- Excellent verbal, written and numerical skills
- Experience with IT liaison and office systems
- Ability to work under time pressure and to meet deadlines
- Ability to work under own initiative
- Excellent team working skills with the ability to work collaboratively with all colleagues
- Ability to assimilate large quantities of written and verbal information and produce accurate documents as a result
- Valid UK driving licence and car required
Qualifications and Experience Preferred (but not all essential)
- GCSE Maths and English or equivalent standard
- Knowledge of Quickbooks finance software (or evidence of other finance platforms experience)
- Knowledge of NEST pension platform
- Knowledge of HubSpot CRM software
- Knowledge of Breathe HR platform
- Basic social media skills
- Event management or internal events organisation experience
- Experience inducting staff to company IT systems and procedures
- Basic Photoshop/ Desktop publishing skills
- At least 3 years’ experience in an administrative role
Equal Opportunities
Gravitilab is an equal opportunities employer, We believe passionately that employing a diverse workforce is central to our success. We make recruiting decisions based on your experience and skills.
Person Values
- Down to earth – we are looking for someone who is approachable and practical. You’ll be happy to roll your sleeves up as required and willing to lead others
- Stimulating – you are happy to challenge and debate – to push the organisations and partners you work with to find solutions and make change
- Curious – you might be fascinated by space, science or engineering. You will always have an appetite to know and discover more
- Progressive – you’ll be willing to find solutions that may not have been thought of before and be willing to try new things
- Gravitas – your decisions are based on strong foundations of experience and knowledge, you will be respected by your peers and valued for your opinions
Job Type
Full-time
Salary
£23,000.00 – £26,000.00 per year
Gravitilab Aerospace Services is based near Norwich, with collaborations and operations with launch partners in Scotland. An exciting, fast-growing start-up and industry pathfinder for microgravity testing services and aiding UK space science goals. With decades of experience in rocket technology, we are now seeking a new member of the team to work on the development of a suborbital launch vehicle.
Job Title
Mechanical Engineer
Job Description
As a mechanical engineer, you will assist the mechanical team and focus on the design and analysis of the structural components of a high-performance suborbital rocket. Your work will include mechanical interfaces definition and optimisation between different subsystems and mechanisms.
Why Gravitilab?
- Work on a unique project: The first reusable suborbital launch vehicle to be launched from the UK
- One of the only launch vehicle manufacturers in the UK with a hybrid rocket engine test stand on-site where we perform test firings for research, development, and verification purposes
- Work alongside a highly passionate and energetic team
- Unique opportunities to progress and expand responsibilities within the company
- Have real responsibility for technical subsystems as every person has an important role in our rapidly growing start-up
- Open-plan work environment that encourages trans-disciplinary collaboration with technical experts in different fields
- Be part of a fast-paced start-up where you can get your hands dirty with practical
Responsibilities
- Creating reliable and robust designs for components and subsystems of launch vehicles, and other designs as required
- Contribute to development of electromechanical systems
- Work through Gravitilab’s ECSS derived engineering methodology and concurrent design platform
- Be involved in ideation, planning and strategy for upcoming projects
- Be responsible for specific work packages and equipment across the company as required
- Working collaboratively with other departments to resolve requirements and specifications
- Assisting with procurement related to projects
- Carrying out FE analysis with appropriate software
- Delivery of work adhering to timelines and assisting projects remain within budget
Required Skills, Qualifications and Experience
Skills
- Ability to use CAD and CAE software to design components in an iterative process
- Ability to follow and understand engineering drawings, manuals, and reports
- Ability to create engineering drawings using CAD software
- Ability to follow and understand work safety protocol
- Ability to work independently or as part of a multidisciplinary team
Qualifications and Experience
- BEng in mechanical Engineering or similar with 3+ years of experience in the engineering industry or MEng with 1+ year(s)
- Experience using 3D modelling software (Siemens NX or SolidWorks preferred)
- Good knowledge and experience in structural simulations (structural dynamics and static) using FEA software (Siemens SimCenter and ANSYS preferred)
- Good understanding of dimensioning and tolerancing
- Good knowledge and experience using Microsoft Office
Preferred
- Experience with thermal management and thermal protections systems
- Experience or knowledge of aeroelasticity/aerodynamics
- Knowledge of composites and advanced materials
- Hands-On experience in a workshop environment
Person Values
- Down to earth – we are looking for someone who is approachable and practical. You’ll be happy to roll your sleeves up as required and willing to lead others
- Stimulating – you are happy to challenge and debate – to push the organisations and partners you work with to find solutions and make change
- Curious – you might be fascinated by space, science or engineering. You will always have an appetite to know and discover more
- Progressive – you’ll be willing to find solutions that may not have been thought of before and be willing to try new things
- Gravitas – your decisions are based on strong foundations of experience and knowledge, you will be respected by your peers and valued for your opinions
- Honest – you’re confident in your abilities to be clear about the work you have done without exaggeration or omission so that, as a team, issues can be tackled together
Salary
Subject to experience.
Process
Send a cover letter and C.V. to [email protected]
With A level and GCSE results received and the finalising of University places key in the minds of the nation right now, we wanted to celebrate the young talent we have here at Gravitilab!
We all value the input that both experienced minds and raw talent can bring to the table. It’s well known that having lots of people who think and see the world the same way will stagnate progress and development – and these are crucial to successful R&D and companies like Gravitilab who want to move away from ‘Old Space’ and embrace ‘New Space’ methodologies, so we always welcome interns with open arms for their valuable input and alternative viewpoint.
Alongside our fantastic team, (largely made up of degree and post-grad students), we have been lucky again this summer with two fantastic interns.
Olgu Pilav
Olgu Pilav is an engineering undergraduate at Trinity College, Cambridge and will be starting his second year of studies this October. “Due to my course, I study all engineering disciplines for the first two years but hope to specialise in aerospace engineering. I have been interested in aerospace engineering for a very long time due to my fascination with space and all the mystery that comes with it. Driven by scientific curiosity, I want to take part in the next phase of space exploration” said Olgu. For the past six weeks Olgu has been writing a report on the high failure rates of Nanosats – which has given him an insight into the technical as well as commercial side of space businesses. “Due to the dynamic and friendly environment in Gravitilab, I was also able to take part and work across different subsystems of the rocket during its design phase. I have had an amazing time here and this internship has allowed me to meet some great people and has reinforced my dream of becoming an aerospace engineer” said Olgu.
Augustin Whitcomb (Tintin)
Tintin is studying for a Masters in Electronic Engineering at the University of Exeter. “I have always been interested in electronics and radio control and so the opportunity to come to Gravitilab and work on the UAV based LOUIS project was perfect. I have worked previously as a drone pilot and engineer on filmsets and for hobbyist videos, so I was able to put the skills I had gained to good use throughout my internship” said Tintin. He was certainly put to work, helping to rapidly re-specify and fine tune our drone vehicle which carries our LOUIS drop pod, ready for a reveal at the company’s OpenDay event in July. “Being part of a team that is working hard and staying late to meet tight deadlines felt rewarding and it was great to have our efforts recognised at the Open Day” said Tintin.
“I have really enjoyed working at Gravitilab and it has been my first taste of full-time work in an Engineering environment. To call it an office job would be slightly misleading as plenty of time is spent in the workshop building and tweaking drones, drop pods and rockets as well as outside flying and performing tests. It is very rewarding to be able to design something on CAD or in MATLAB, print prototypes at the facilities here and then send the technical drawings to fabrication companies and use the parts the following week. I have also been able to learn about new technologies not covered in my course at university such as Computational Fluid Dynamics. Working in a team has helped me realise the importance of documenting your work and communication to ensure that milestones are reached concurrently to ensure efficient progress. This opportunity has been insightful and invaluable in terms of helping me develop as an engineer”.
As the holiday season comes to an end, we have to say farewell (for now) to these two great additions to the team – we wish them well in their ongoing studies and hope to see them back with us as interns again – or even with major roles in the business.
If you would like to apply for an internship with us, then please email [email protected] and let us know a little about your passion and expertise.