UK Astronomy
UK Astronomy is a Milton Keynes-based registered charity founded circa 2014 that delivers astronomy education through mobile planetarium visits, the Space Crafter observatory van, and instructor-led workshops for schools, community groups, and families across the UK.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersMilton Keynes, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What UK Astronomy does
UK Astronomy is a registered charity in England and Wales, founded circa 2014 and headquartered in Milton Keynes, UK. The organization is co-founded and fronted by Dr Ross Hockham BCAe, a full-time firefighter by profession, alongside co-founder Frankie Hockham, and operates with approximately 32 staff alongside a substantial volunteer base. Its core function is astronomy education and public outreach, delivered primarily through three product lines: an inflatable mobile planetarium that travels to schools and venues, the Space Crafter mobile observatory van funded by a £50,000 Persimmon Homes grant in 2019, and instructor-led workshops and talks. Customers and audiences span primary and secondary schools, community groups, families, and the general public, the last engaged through public stargazing events such as Stars in the Park delivered in partnership with The Parks Trust, and ticketed family programming at venues including Stowe House.
The business model is a charitable hybrid combining earned income and grants. Earned revenue derives from fees charged to schools and community organizations for planetarium visits and workshops, ticket sales for public events priced around £16 per person for family programming, and donations. Capital and capacity funding has historically come from corporate grants, with the Persimmon Homes award being the largest single disclosed inflow, alongside public recognition and reputational support from The Open University including an honorary doctorate conferred on the founder. Distribution is anchored by mobile delivery assets, regional venue partnerships, and a self-reported community of 22,000+ members, with brand equity reinforced by the British Citizen Award and the Prime Minister's Points of Light. There is no disclosed product-line pivot, M&A activity, or recurring corporate-customer anchor in the reviewed material.
UK Astronomy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- UK Astronomy
- Legal name
- UK Astronomy Ltd
- Website
- https://ukastronomy.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- UK Astronomy is a Milton Keynes-based registered charity founded circa 2014 that delivers astronomy education through mobile planetarium visits, the Space Crafter observatory van, and instructor-led workshops for schools, community groups, and families across the UK.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
UK Astronomy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Astronomy Education and Outreach
- NAICS
- Museums (712110)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Space & Astronomy Programs (EDAMABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Virtual Field Trips & Experiential Learning Environments (Museums, Geography, History) (EDAFAJAG)
Keywords
Where UK Astronomy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Milton Keynes
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
UK Astronomy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Workshop and Event Fees: Revenue generated from educational workshops for schools, community groups, and businesses, as well as admission fees for public events. Costs and session lengths can be negotiated to suit group size and budget.
- Donations and Charity Support: As a registered charity, UK Astronomy receives donations and support from sponsors and the public to fund outreach programs and equipment.
- Event Ticket Sales: Revenue from public event admissions, such as the Pigs & Planets event at £16 per admission.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pigs & Planets Event Admission |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
UK Astronomy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UK Astronomy is a registered charity that delivers astronomy outreach through a mobile planetarium (inflatable 360-degree dome) and a mobile observatory (Space Crafter van with specialist stargazing equipment), bringing immersive astronomy experiences directly to schools, community groups, and the public. They offer tailored educational workshops on the solar system, sun, and stargazing, plus ticketed public events and an astronaut training program delivered with a NASA Solar System Ambassador.
Product overview
UK Astronomy is a registered charity offering educational astronomy experiences as a collection of services rather than a unified software product. Core offerings include a Mobile Planetarium (inflatable 360-degree dome), a Mobile Observatory ('Space Crafter' van with equipment), and various educational workshops (Solar System, Solar, Stargazing). Supporting services include an Astronaut Training Program, an annual Photo Competition, Monthly Sky Guides, astronomy guides/resources, and Kids Astronomy Activities. These services are delivered through events, school visits, and community programs rather than a digital product platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mobile Planetarium
Companies that use UK Astronomy
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
UK Astronomy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
UK Astronomy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Visual InteractivecoreVisual Interactive designed and maintains the UK Astronomy website. They have provided ongoing support developing the charity's web presence.
- Epson UKminorDominic Guerney from Epson UK sponsored all prints for the annual UK Astronomy photo competition.
- Stowe HousecoreStowe House partners with UK Astronomy to host planetarium shows and stargazing events at their historic venue. Multiple events are held throughout the year.
- The Parks TrustcoreThe Parks Trust collaborates with UK Astronomy on Stars in the Park events, which are popular features at Parklife Weekend. Partnership includes co-hosted virtual events and outreach.
- Aylesbury Town CouncilcoreAylesbury Town Council works with UK Astronomy on annual Stars in the Park and Moonday events celebrating space milestones.
- TGP NOMINALminorRoss Hockham serves as Resident Astronomer for TGP NOMINAL science podcast. The collaboration began after a Free Comic Book Day event in 2017.
- First Light OpticsminorFirst Light Optics is listed as a supporter/sponsor of UK Astronomy.
- Rother Valley OpticsminorRother Valley Optics is listed as a supporter/sponsor of UK Astronomy.
- AstroglovesminorAstrogloves is listed as a supporter/sponsor of UK Astronomy.
- Curly TailsminorCurly Tails animal sanctuary partners with UK Astronomy for Pigs & Planets events, bringing together two local charities for community engagement.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
UK Astronomy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Dynamic Earth: Edinburgh-based science attraction with educational programming and school visits. Comparable in offering immersive science shows and STEM workshops, but geographically focused on Scotland.
- Mills Observatory: Free public observatory in Dundee offering planetarium shows and stargazing events. Comparable in operating a public-facing astronomy programme for schools and families, but regionally focused on Scotland.
Direct peers
- Royal Observatory Greenwich: Historic observatory and visitor centre offering astronomy talks, school sessions, and planetarium-style programming. Comparable to UK Astronomy in combining astronomy education with public-facing events, though at a much larger fixed-site scale.
- National Space Centre: Registered charity and major UK space science visitor attraction in Leicester offering planetarium shows, educational workshops, and school outreach programmes. Closest direct peer to UK Astronomy's mission of space-themed public engagement and school workshops.
- Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre: Cheshire-based observatory and visitor centre running public stargazing events, school workshops, and family science engagement. Closely comparable to UK Astronomy's observatory-led outreach, although serving a larger funded visitor economy.
- Kielder Observatory: Charity-run observatory in Northumberland offering public stargazing evenings and educational events in a dark-sky location. Shares UK Astronomy's public stargazing event model and charitable funding structure.
- Science Oxford: Oxfordshire-based science education charity running school workshops, family events, and outreach programmes. Highly comparable in mission, charity structure, and focus on bringing STEM experiences to schools and community groups.
Emerging players
- Winchester Science Centre: UK science centre with planetarium shows and school workshop programmes. Overlaps with UK Astronomy's immersive planetarium and school workshops, though it operates as a fixed site in the South.
Broad incumbents
- Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum: Major regional science museum with planetarium and school programmes. Comparable in delivering STEM workshops and planetarium content, but with broader science focus and institutional scale.
- At-Bristol / We The Curious: Bristol science centre with planetarium and broad STEM outreach. Overlaps with UK Astronomy's school and public programming, though offers a much wider thematic footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
UK Astronomy social profiles
Digital presenceUK Astronomy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
UK Astronomy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
UK Astronomy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
UK Astronomy 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 UK Astronomy
What does UK Astronomy do?
UK Astronomy is a registered charity that delivers astronomy outreach through a mobile planetarium (inflatable 360-degree dome) and a mobile observatory (Space Crafter van with specialist stargazing equipment), bringing immersive astronomy experiences directly to schools, community groups, and the public. They offer tailored educational workshops on the solar system, sun, and stargazing, plus ticketed public events and an astronaut training program delivered with a NASA Solar System Ambassador.
Is UK Astronomy a public or private company?
UK Astronomy is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was UK Astronomy founded?
UK Astronomy was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is UK Astronomy based?
UK Astronomy is headquartered in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does UK Astronomy make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Workshop and Event Fees are the primary driver. The others are donations and Charity Support and event Ticket Sales.
Who are UK Astronomy's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Dynamic Earth and Mills Observatory. Direct peers are Royal Observatory Greenwich, National Space Centre, Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, Kielder Observatory and Science Oxford. Winchester Science Centre is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum and At-Bristol / We The Curious.
Does UK Astronomy have an API?
No public API is recorded for UK Astronomy.
What industry is UK Astronomy in?
UK Astronomy's product category is Astronomy Education and Outreach. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMABAE, Space & Astronomy Programs, with a secondary code of EDAFAJAG, Virtual Field Trips & Experiential Learning Environments (Museums, Geography, History). Its NAICS code is 712110.