Guidance
The Space Exploration Advisory Committee (SEAC)
The Space Exploration Advisory Committee is composed of UK-based experts across scientific and technical disciplines related to space exploration.
Documents
Details
The Space Exploration Advisory Committee’s members are external to the UK Space Agency and are expected to represent the views of the community.
It advises the UK Space Agency on the UK’s Space Exploration programme, including participation in European Space Agency programmes and associated national activities, and any other related matters.
Committee
| SEAC role | Committee member | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Chair | Dr Sarah Beardsley | Director of Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) Space |
| Vice Chair & LSWG Representative | Professor Karen Olsson-Francis | Director of Astrobiology OU, Open University |
| Mars Science and Exploration | Dr Joel Davis | Lecturer in Planetary Science, Imperial College London |
| Microgravity (Life Science) | Dr Li Shean Toh | Assistant Professor, University of Nottingham |
| Microgravity (Physical Science) | Professor Phil Williams | Professor of Biophysics, University of Nottingham |
| Lunar Science and Exploration | Dr Hannah Sargeant | Planetary Scientist, University of Leicester |
| Industry (Large Scale) - Technology | Mr Remi Challamel | Senior Business Development and Sales Manager, Thales Alenia Space |
| Industry (SME) - Technology | Dr Mark Woods | Chief Strategy Officer / Head of Robotics, Autonomy and AI Group, CFMS Services Ltd. |
| Academia representative - technology | Professor Andrea Cammarano | Professor in Space Mechanisms, University of Southampton |
Early Career Researchers
| SEAC role | Committee member | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Mars Early Career Researcher | Dr Frances Butcher | Leverhulme Early Career Fellow, University of Sheffield |
| Lunar Early Career Researcher | Dr Romain Tartese | Senior Lecturer, University of Manchester |
| Microgravity Early Career Researcher | Dr Samantha Jones | Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Liverpool |
Working Group (WG) Representatives
| SEAC role | Committee member | Role |
|---|---|---|
| UKSpace Space Science and Exploration (SSEC) – Chair | Steven Kay | Robotics Engineer, GMV |
| ESA Solar System and Exploration WG (SSEWG) | Dr Manish Patel | Professor of Planetary Science, The Open University |
| ESA Physical Science WG (PSWG) | Dr Ruth Bamford | Senior Research Scientist, UKRI/ STFC/ RAL Space |
| ESA Physical Science WG (PSWG) | Professor Peter Lee | Professor of Materials Science, University College London |
| ESA Life Science WG (LSWG) | Professor Damian Bailey | Royal Society Wolfson Research Fellow; Professor of Physiology and Biochemistry, University of South Wales |
| ESA Life Science WG (LSWG) | Professor Karen Olsson-Francis | Director of Astrobiology OU, The Open University |
| ESA Human Spaceflight and Exploration Science Advisory Committee (HESAC) | Professor Caroline Smith | Head of Collections and Principal Curator of Meteorites, Natural History Museum |
| ESA Solar System and Exploration WG (SSEWG) - Vice Chair | Dr John Coxon | STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellow, Northumbria University |
| UK Space Agency Discovery Advisory Committee on Science (DACS) – Chair | Vacant | - |
Former members:
| Prof Mahesh Anand | Open University |
| Prof Martin Barstow | Leicester University |
| Dr Neil Bowles | University of Oxford |
| Prof John Bridges | Leicester University |
| Dr Katharina Brinkert | University of Warwick |
| Dr Frances Butcher | University of Sheffield |
| Mr Justin Byrne | Airbus |
| Andrew Caldwell | STFC |
| Mr Matthew Cosby | Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd |
| Prof Ian Crawford | Birkbeck University |
| Prof Dave Cullen | Cranfield University |
| Dr Timothy Etheridge | University of Exeter |
| Dr Jennika Greer | University of Glasgow |
| Dr Lydia Hallis | University of Glasgow |
| Dr Patrick Harkness | Glasgow University |
| Dr Katie Joy | Manchester University |
| Dr Min Kwan Kim | University of Southampton |
| Dr Mirco Magnini | University of Nottingham |
| Prof Marco Marengo | University of Brighton |
| Prof Matthew Middleton | Southampton |
| Prof Anu Ojha | National Space Centre |
| Marie-Claire Perkinson | Airbus |
| Dr Thomas Smith | Kings College London |
| Prof Fred Taylor | Open University |
| Mr Paul Thompson | Qinetiq |
| Roger Ward | TAS-Space |
| Dr Clare Watt | University of Nottingham |
| Will Whitehorn | Chair of Seraphim |
| Dr Iya Whiteley | University College London |
| Tom Worsley | Reliance Precision Ltd |
Updates to this page
Published 24 March 2025
Last updated 14 September 2026
Show all updates
-
Committee members updated. Meet the Space Exploration Advisory Committee (SEAC) - HTML attachment updated
-
First published.