December 10, 2015 — Professor Sir Martin Sweeting, Executive Chairman of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) and the Surrey Space Centre at the University of Surrey, has been admitted to Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS).
Sir Martin Sweeting’s award of Honorary Fellowship was made in recognition of his leadership and exceptional contribution in pioneering the use of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) technologies in space and in particular the use of small, low-cost satellites for practical applications, as well as new forms of international collaboration in space that recognise the inherently global nature of satellites.
Sir Martin received his certificate of Fellowship at the Royal Aeronautical Society’s annual Wilbur and Orville Wright lecture, held on the 9th December at the Society’s headquarters in London.
Sir Martin commented “Over a span of many years, I have both attended and delivered many lectures at the Society, and these have proved to be invaluable opportunities to exchange insights and nuggets of information with both Members and the general public. It is therefore a tremendous honour to be elected to Honorary Fellowship of the RAeS, an institution which I greatly admire for its dedication in promoting the aerospace industry all over the world, and for its commitment to sharing knowledge and ideas.”
Martin Broadhurst OBE FRAeS, President of the RAeS, said: “For over a century, the Royal Aeronautical Society has been honouring outstanding achievement, innovation and excellence in aerospace and the admittance of Sir Martin Sweeting to the Society as an Honorary Fellow is no exception. Thanks to Sir Martin’s leadership and entrepreneurial spirit, SSTL have pioneered the development of small, affordable satellites for a huge range of applications giving the UK a leading position in this arena. Sir Martin has also been at the forefront of increasing awareness of the economic and social value of the space industry in the UK and promoting the sector to government.”
