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Space station agreement signed by city mayors

Marc Gaier & Jonny Humphries
BBC News, Liverpool
Axiom A CGI image showing a space station, consisting of cylindrical modules with rectangular solar panels jutting outwards, orbiting Earth. Axiom
Axiom Space plans to build the world's first commercial space station

A handshake between a mayor and an astronaut could lead to the north-west of England landing a major role in the development of the world's first commercial space station.

Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with US based Axiom Space - which is developing the station.

The agreement builds on discussions between Mr Rotheram and Tim Peake, the British astronaut who worked on the International Space Station and now works as an advisor for Axiom.

Mr Rotheram said Mr Peake was impressed by Liverpool's universities and bio-engineering expertise.

PA Media Tim Peake, who has ginger hair and is wearing a suit and blue and white tie, is pictured holding a microphonePA Media
Retired astronaut Tim Peake was said to have been impressed with the Liverpool City Region offering in discussions with Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram

He told BBC Radio Merseyside: "[Tim Peake] came to my office and we had a chat about what the possibilities were.

"Of course, this isn't just one area that will be able to develop a whole new space station - this'll be a supply chain of global scale.

"But the Liverpool City Region was identified as an area of real interest to Axiom."

The MOU has been described as establishing a "framework for collaboration" between the company and the city regions for space-based research, development and manufacturing.

Mr Rotheram said research and experimentation developed at the University of Liverpool was already being applied in the International Space Station.

He said the implications of the agreement could be pivotal in retaining graduate jobs in the city - as well as creating jobs up and down the supply chain.

"Let's face it, when we were growing up as kids people going into space was the ultimate, wasn't it?," he said.

"And all of a sudden, you can get people from the Liverpool City Region who will be part of the development of a new space station.

"I think that's brilliant and it just shows you the journey that we've been on as a city region when we're attracting these global brands."

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