---
title: "Gravity Offload System"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-046ff7"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-046ff7"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-046ff7.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-046ff7.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "SATELLITE APPLICATIONS CATAPULT LIMITED"
published: "2024-06-14"
---

# Gravity Offload System

Buyer: SATELLITE APPLICATIONS CATAPULT LIMITED  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-046ff7

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## Summary

The Satellite Applications Catapult Limited has completed the procurement process for the Gravity Offload System, an industrial robot system used to simulate orbital environments. The system will be installed in the Catapult's facility in Didcot, United Kingdom. The procurement method was a limited negotiation without publication of a contract notice. The award to supply the system was granted to Jacobs Clean Energy Ltd on 14th June 2024.

This tender for the Gravity Offload System presents business growth opportunities for suppliers in the goods category, especially those with expertise in industrial robots and simulation technologies. Businesses that can provide solutions for simulating in-orbit dynamics and space craft interactions would be well-suited to compete for this contract. Interested businesses should consider the unique requirements of suspending and moving objects within a free-floating environment to meet the buyer's specifications.

## Notice

An overhead gantry system that will enable simulation of orbital environments by off-loading the effect of gravity on a suspended object. The system provided will installed in the Catapult's existing facility and will cover an area of 6m x 6m x 6m (l x w x h) and capable of carrying a 150kg payload. The system will be required to suspend objects in a free-floating manner but be able to move the object when a force is applied to it, thus simulating the in-orbit dynamics experienced during contact between space craft. Installation & commissioning of the system is to be included by the supplier.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

An overhead gantry system that will enable simulation of orbital environments by off-loading the effect of gravity on a suspended object. The system provided will installed in the Catapult's existing facility and will cover an area of 6m x 6m x 6m (l x w x h) and capable of carrying a 150kg payload. The system will be required to suspend objects in a free-floating manner but be able to move the object when a force is applied to it, thus simulating the in-orbit dynamics experienced during contact between space craft. Installation & commissioning of the system is to be included by the supplier.

### Procurement Information

A full procurement exercise (ref: SAC-24-036) was undertaken. There was one response to this exercise from Jacobs Clean Energy Ltd in March which exceeded our available budget. We have since tested the supply chain in the market and adjacent markets including national and international suppliers. We have received no further credible proposals to deliver this solution in the timescale so have decided to proceed which a revised version of the Jacobs Clean Energy Ltd solution. Please note that the FTS notice for this is ref 2024/S 000-004651.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/018422-2024 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Negotiated without publication of a contract notice |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 14 Jun 2024 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 13 Jun 2024 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £303,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | SATELLITE APPLICATIONS CATAPULT LIMITED |
| Locality | DIDCOT |
| Post town | Oxford |
| Postcode | OX11 0QR |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire |
| ITL 3 | TLJ14 Oxfordshire CC |
| Local authority | Vale of White Horse |
| Electoral ward | Hendreds |
| Westminster constituency | Didcot and Wantage |
| Delivery location | TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | JACOBS CLEAN ENERGY |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 42 - Industrial machinery

### Codes

- 42997300 - Industrial robots

## Release History

- 14 Jun 2024 at 10:29 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/018422-2024

## Notice URLs

- https://sa.catapult.org.uk/

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-046ff7. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-046ff7.json.