| Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I am very pleased to be here today and to have the honour of formally opening this very new and exciting project at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. Dr Chris Mann has just given us an outline of what Star Tiger is and does, and so I would now like to say a few words about the importance of this facility for the space sector as a whole.
As the Minister for Science and Innovation, I am proud that the European Space Agency has decided to work in partnership with the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, and to site Star Tiger in the UK. The space sector in the UK is a major area of innovative thinking and technology development, and the Star Tiger facility will enhance this by its own dynamic input to the industry. Being able to solve complex technical problems in a very short time is a skill which can benefit all areas of industry and research, for it is not only in the space sector that lead times for technology development are notoriously long.
This initial four month project to develop a prototype Terahertz camera is extremely important to both ESA and UK space research and technology development, but in fact the importance of Star Tiger goes far beyond this single project. The concept of Star Tiger is significant as a major breakthrough in institutional approaches to problem solving, and could prove very influential. The relevance of Star Tiger also goes beyond the space sector. The technology it will develop is strategically important for many other industries, some of which are far removed from the original 'space driven' requirements. It is this linking together and transferring of technology that utilises the full extent and value of scientific research and will keep Europe at the cutting edge of technology development.
I firmly believe that the bringing together of top class European scientists and engineers into a single place, along with the removal of external distractions, will provide a catalyst for the rapid and effective tackling of significant technical issues. The success of Star Tiger to develop the Terahertz camera will be critical for the future of such innovative research and development projects in Europe, and I am proud that the UK is playing a major role in this challenging and pioneering enterprise. It is significant that an international organisation has chosen to carry out this project in the UK. I personally hope it will prove to be a productive partnership and I would like to make a formal offer for the UK to host this ESA research facility on a more permanent basis.
I would now like to declare the Star Tiger facility here formally open, and wish RAL and ESA the very greatest success over the coming months.
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