[SatNews] Dr. Martin C. Faulkes (Dill Faulkes) has been appointed as Chairman of the Goonhilly Earth Station (GES) Ltd. Board of Directors.

GES Ltd has been announcing a string of positive developments since taking ownership of the Goonhilly site in January 2014, including the launching of a new Satellite TV Platform with HISPASAT, development and testing contracts with Eutelsat, satellite monitoring and control contracts with Inmarsat and SES, antenna hosting for Planet Labs and Sat Apps Catapult, as well as the acquisition of new antennas and the establishment of new satellite internet and satellite trunk services. Last month, Goonhilly ran a highly successful Mission Operations training course attended by 35 space professionals from around the world. In addition, GES Ltd is undertaking a study for the European Space Agency alongside QinetiQ and BAE Systems to determine the steps needed to bring the largest antenna, GHY-6, into service as a Deep Space antenna, potentially supporting the NASA Orion missions to the moon.

The appointment of Dill Faulkes further strengthens the fortunes of Goonhilly as it continues to grow and develop as one of the most prominent rising stars in the UK Space Sector. Dill brings a wealth of experience to Goonhilly. As the founding President of Logica's US business, he grew the company’s international profile especially with airlines, banks and telecommunications companies. After returning to London, as Managing Director he built and sold the software company SPL before setting up his own mergers and acquisitions business. He has invested in a number of companies that have been successfully floated on the UK stock market. His latest venture, VolitionRx Ltd, is a publicly quoted life sciences company developing blood-based diagnostic tests for cancer.

Dill also has a strong philanthropic involvement in space and science education: he founded the Dill Faulkes Education Trust with the aim of inspiring young people through science and maths, and to help young people develop skills and confidence. Projects funded through the Trust include the "Faulkes Telescopes," a pair of research quality telescopes accessible to schools, and the "Faulkes Flying Foundation," which gave children from disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to learn to fly gliders. Dill was a Trustee for the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, and Main Board Director at Chabot Space and Science Center, Oakland, California.