National Space Centre
The National Space Centre is a UK charity operating a single-site space science visitor attraction in Leicester, combining the UK's largest planetarium, a 42-metre Rocket Tower, six interactive galleries, and educational programmes serving schools, families, corporate events, and community groups.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersLeicester, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What National Space Centre does
The National Space Centre is a UK-registered charity (charity number 1078832, operating through NSSC Operations Limited, company number 04141856) that runs a science and discovery centre in Leicester. Founded in 2001 and now in its 25th year, the centre is anchored by the Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium — the UK's largest fulldome 360-degree projection venue — and an iconic 42-metre Rocket Tower containing rocket exhibits. The site comprises six interactive galleries, the Tetrastar Spaceport immersive space mission experience, a portable StarDome outreach planetarium, a Virtual Classroom programme for remote schools, and the Boosters Café and gift shop. Separate operating subsidiaries — NSC Education, NSC Creative, NSC Venue Hire, and National Space Academy — formalise the education, creative production, events, and training arms of the business.
The revenue model blends consumer ticketing, B2B education programmes (80,000+ school children annually), corporate and private venue hire (conferences, weddings, filming), retail and catering, and charitable donations/sponsorship (three-tier packages from £500 to £2,000). Distribution runs through direct ticket sales online and on-site, a dedicated schools bookings team, a venue hire sales team, outreach services within a 45-minute travel radius of Leicester, and a virtual classroom channel. The organisation receives no core government funding and reinvests all surplus into education, community engagement, and collection care. A January 2025 corporate restructure consolidated NSSC Operations Limited under the parent National Space Centre entity.
National Space Centre firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- National Space Centre
- Legal name
- NSSC Operations Limited
- Website
- https://spacecentre.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The National Space Centre is a UK charity operating a single-site space science visitor attraction in Leicester, combining the UK's largest planetarium, a 42-metre Rocket Tower, six interactive galleries, and educational programmes serving schools, families, corporate events, and community groups.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
National Space Centre industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Science Museum and Planetarium
- NAICS
- Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Space & Astronomy Programs (EDAMABAE)
Keywords
Where National Space Centre is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Leicester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
National Space Centre business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Visitor Admission Tickets: Ticket sales for individual and group admission to the visitor attraction, including access to galleries, Rocket Tower, and one standard planetarium show. Discounted educational rates available for school groups.
- Venue Hire and Events: Corporate venue hire including conferences, meetings, weddings, dinners, exclusive hire, and filming. Multiple unique event spaces including Rocket Tower, Shuttle Suites, Planetarium, and Hub galleries.
- Educational Programmes: Revenue from workshops, planetarium upgrades, sleepovers, outreach visits, StarDome portable planetarium, and video conferencing sessions for schools.
- Retail and Food Services: Gift shop sales and Boosters Café catering services on-site.
- Donations and Sponsorships: Charitable donations, Gift Aid contributions, footstep sponsorship, and corporate sponsorship packages supporting community engagement and education programmes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | One time | Standard Admission - online booking with annual pass |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Educational Day Visit - School Groups |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Planetarium Show Upgrades |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Workshops and Live Shows |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Sleepovers |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Scouting and Guiding Events |
| Unit Pricing | Annual | Sponsorship Packages |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Outreach - StarDome |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Video Conferencing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
National Space Centre product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The National Space Centre operates a space science visitor attraction in Leicester featuring the UK's largest fulldome 360-degree planetarium (Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium), a 42-metre Rocket Tower, and six interactive galleries. It sells admission tickets to families and individuals, delivers curriculum-aligned STEM workshops and immersive space mission experiences (Tetrastar Spaceport) to schools, and offers the venue for corporate hire, weddings, and conferences.
Product overview
The National Space Centre operates as a science and discovery centre with a platform-plus-modules product architecture. The core offering centres on the Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium (the UK's largest fulldome planetarium) and Rocket Tower as primary visitor attractions, complemented by six interactive galleries. Educational modules include TetraStar Spaceport immersive missions, StarDome portable planetarium outreach, Virtual Classroom video conferencing, and It IS Rocket Science live shows. Overnight sleepover programmes extend the visitor experience. Venue Hire operates as a distinct sub-brand offering event spaces for conferences, weddings, and corporate hire. Community engagement is supported through the IGNITE! Pathway Programme and sponsorship packages targeting schools and educational organisations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium: The UK's largest fulldome planetarium, included with admission and featuring award-winning shows
- Rocket Tower
- Tetrastar Spaceport
- IGNITE! Programme
- StarDome
- One Small Step Sponsorship
Products and services
- Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 6 million visitors welcomed since opening
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use National Space Centre
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
National Space Centre technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
National Space Centre partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Contec Space GroupcoreNational Space Centre and Contec Space Group (South Korea) signed an MoU to restore the iconic 32-metre dish at Elfordstown Earthstation in Cork, Ireland. The project aims to bring the historic dish back into operation to support international science and space collaboration, following a preservation campaign in 2024.
- University of LeicestercoreHeritage partnership since 1961 when the University of Leicester launched its first Leicester-built instrument into space. National Space Centre continues the tradition of space science education and research collaboration.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
National Space Centre competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum: A Midlands-based science museum with interactive exhibits and school programming. Comparable as a regional UK science museum with education-driven visitation, located in the same broad geographic corridor as the National Space Centre.
- Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre: A UNESCO-listed observatory and visitor centre in Cheshire with an iconic physical asset (the Lovell Telescope), strong education programming, and live science engagement. Directly comparable as a UK space science attraction combining heritage, education, and immersive exhibits.
- Dynamic Earth (Edinburgh): A science attraction and charity in Edinburgh operating a similar visitor-plus-education model with a strong physical landmark and curriculum-aligned school workshops. Comparable as a UK charity-run science discovery centre with planetarium-style immersive experiences.
- Techniquest (Cardiff): A Welsh science discovery centre with interactive galleries, a planetarium, and STEM education programmes for schools. Comparable as a regional UK science centre operating visitor attractions plus curriculum-aligned outreach and virtual workshops.
- Royal Observatory Greenwich: A historic site and visitor attraction in London dedicated to astronomy and space science, with a planetarium and curriculum-aligned school programming. It is the closest direct peer to the National Space Centre as a UK space/astronomy-focused visitor attraction with strong educational programming.
- Winchester Science Centre: The UK's largest standalone planetarium with family and education programming in the South of England. Directly comparable as a planetarium-led science attraction targeting families and schools in a regional UK market.
- Eureka! The National Children's Museum: A UK charity-run children's museum in Yorkshire with hands-on science exhibits and school programming. Comparable as a UK charity operating a family and education-focused science visitor attraction with strong school group revenue.
Broad incumbents
- Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex: A flagship US space-themed visitor attraction operated as a large-scale, commercially run destination. Comparable as a space-themed attraction with immersive experiences and educational programming, though much larger scale and outside the UK market.
- Science Museum (London): The UK's flagship science museum and a far larger visitor attraction in London. It is comparable as a science museum serving schools, families, and corporate clients with interactive exhibits, but operates at much greater scale and does not specialize in space science.
Regional players
- Peter Harrison Planetarium (Royal Observatory Greenwich): On-site planetarium at the Royal Observatory Greenwich offering fulldome shows and school programming. Comparable as a UK planetarium operation offering immersive space content, though smaller and integrated into a broader heritage site.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
National Space Centre social profiles
Digital presenceNational Space Centre compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
National Space Centre financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
National Space Centre leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
National Space Centre subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
National Space Centre funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
National Space Centre M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about National Space Centre
What does National Space Centre do?
The National Space Centre operates a space science visitor attraction in Leicester featuring the UK's largest fulldome 360-degree planetarium (Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium), a 42-metre Rocket Tower, and six interactive galleries. It sells admission tickets to families and individuals, delivers curriculum-aligned STEM workshops and immersive space mission experiences (Tetrastar Spaceport) to schools, and offers the venue for corporate hire, weddings, and conferences.
Is National Space Centre a public or private company?
National Space Centre is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was National Space Centre founded?
National Space Centre was founded in 2001. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is National Space Centre based?
National Space Centre is headquartered in Leicester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does National Space Centre make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Visitor Admission Tickets are the primary driver. The others are venue Hire and Events, educational Programmes, retail and Food Services and donations and Sponsorships.
Who are National Space Centre's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum, Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, Dynamic Earth (Edinburgh), Techniquest (Cardiff), Royal Observatory Greenwich, Winchester Science Centre and Eureka! The National Children's Museum. Broad incumbents are Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and Science Museum (London). Peter Harrison Planetarium (Royal Observatory Greenwich) is listed as a regional player.
Does National Space Centre have an API?
No public API is recorded for National Space Centre.
What industry is National Space Centre in?
National Space Centre's product category is Science Museum and Planetarium. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAD, Science & Technology Museums, with a secondary code of EDAMABAE, Space & Astronomy Programs. Its NAICS code is 712110.