James Barrington-Brown

James Barrington-Brown
Born1964 (age 61–62)
United Kingdom
CitizenshipSouth African
EducationUniversity of Bristol
OccupationsAerospace engineer and Business executive
Known forAerospace engineering
TitleCo-founder at NewSpace Systems, NewCraft Aerospace, and Cape Constellation

James Barrington-Brown (born 1964) is a British-born South African aerospace engineer and entrepreneur. He is the founder and chairman of NewSpace Systems, a South African spacecraft components and subsystems manufacturer founded in 2013, which has offices in South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Netherlands.[1][2]

Since 2025, Barrington-Brown is co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer at NewCraft Aerospace, an emerging South African commercial spacecraft manufacturer.[3] And co-founder at Cape Constellation which functions as the collaborative physical ecosystem for early-stage African space technology companies.[4]

In 2024, Barrington-Brown received the Innovator of the Year award in South Africa.[5][6] He is a full Member of the International Academy of Astronautics.[7] In 2019, he appeared among only 3 Africans recognized in the NewSpace People Top 200.[8] He has authored and co-authored technical papers on spacecraft attitude determination and control, reaction wheel systems, and micro-vibration mitigation.[9]

Biography

James Barrington-Brown was born in 1964 in the United Kingdom. He completed his secondary education at St Edwards School, Oxford in 1983, and in 1986, he graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics from the University of Bristol.[10]

Career

Barrington-Brown began his career in 1989 at Satellites International in the UK and held leadership roles in several aerospace companies, including Space Innovations, Analyticon, Nohmia Ltd., Satellite Services Ltd., and SSBV Space & Ground Systems.[11][12] He also served as chairman of ASTOS, a UK aerospace trade association, from 2001 to 2013.

NewSpace Systems

In October 2013, Barrington-Brown founded NewSpace Systems, where he served as CEO until July 2024 before becoming global chairman.[13] NewSpace Systems is a joint venture between South Africa's Space Commercial Services Holdings and the Dutch company SSBV Aerospace and Technology.[14] Reportedly the company has a cleanroom facility in the Western Cape that adheres to European Space Agency manufacturing standards.[15][16]

NewSpace Systems develops spacecraft components and subsystems, including control sensors and actuators for operational missions and satellite constellations. In 2024, the company had exports to over 33 countries across six continents.[5] In March 2015, NewSpace acquired the assets of SSBV Space & Ground Systems Ltd. and became the sole supplier of their space product line. In 2019, he appeared among only 3 Africans recognized in the NewSpace People Top 200, ranking 171st.[8]

Cape Constellation and NewCraft Aerospace

Following his departure from executive duties at NewSpace Systems in 2025, James Barrington-Brown with Yvette Barrington-Brown co-founded NewCraft Aerospace, an emerging South African commercial spacecraft manufacturer and Cape Constellation.[3] Cape Constellation functions as the collaborative physical ecosystem for early-stage African space technology companies.[4]

Views

At the 2nd African Space Generation Workshop in 2018 in Mauritius, Barrington-Brown stated that he believed Africa could become "the next China in 20 or 30 years," citing its ability to adopt and accelerate existing technologies.[17]

In a 2024 interview with Business Report, Barrington-Brown highlighted the role of business mentors in addressing the challenges faced by founders and described incubators as key environments for collaboration and accelerated growth among start-ups.[18]

Publications

Since 1999, Barrington-Brown has authored and co-authored technical papers on spacecraft attitude determination and control and micro-vibration mitigation among others. His publications also include contributions to reaction wheel design optimization and launch load prediction for soft-suspension systems.[19]

Recognition

  • 2016: Pera award winner.[20]
  • 2018: FNB Business Innovation Awards finalists.[21]
  • 2019: He appeared among 3 Africans recognized in Newspace People top 200 Global leaders.[8]
  • 2024: He won Innovation of the Year Award by EOY South Africa.[10]
  • 2025: He became a full member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) in Sydney.

References

  1. ↑ Iderawumi, Mustapha (1 July 2025). "African Space Pioneer James Barrington-Brown Steps Down from Executive Role at NewSpace Systems". Space in Africa. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  2. ↑ "Cape Town makes the world's small satellites - Hardware Things". hardwarethings.org. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  3. 1 2 "Cape Constellation | Building Africa's Space Ecosystem". 29 January 2026. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  4. 1 2 Adetola, Ayooluwa (27 March 2026). "NewSpace Africa Startup Pitch Competition 2026 Finalists". Space in Africa. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Space Component Manufacturer Reaches New Heights with Innovator of the Year® Award Win – EOY". Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  6. ↑ Africa, FASA Franchise Association South (21 November 2024). "Sheldon Tatchell receives 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year award". Franchise Association South Africa. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  7. ↑ Dennemont, Fabrice (17 November 2023). "IAA Award Gala Dinner Baku 2023 - IAA". Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 Africa, Space in (10 January 2019). "3 Africans make Newspace People top 200 Global leaders". Space in Africa. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  9. ↑ Hughes, Thomas P.; Longato, Mattia; Aglietti, Guglielmo; Yotov, Valdimir; Barrington-Brown, James, "Design Optimization of Reaction Wheel Assembly Characteristics to Reduce Spacecraft Vibrations", AIAA SCITECH 2022 Forum, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, doi:10.2514/6.2022-0527, retrieved 1 June 2026
  10. 1 2 "2024 EOY Winner – James Barrington Brown – EOY". Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  11. ↑ Ward, A.K.; Brown, A.J.Barrington; Gardner, S.J.; Boland, L. (1 January 2000). "An Earth observation mission based on the MiniSIL™ platform". Acta Astronautica. 46 (2–6): 87–96. doi:10.1016/S0094-5765(99)00198-8.
  12. ↑ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/298792517_Satellite_Services_Ltd_ADCS_subsystem_for_cubesat_3_axis_high_precision_control_in_less_than_05U
  13. ↑ Iderawumi, Mustapha (30 July 2024). "NewSpace Systems Announces Leadership Changes and Expansion". Space in Africa. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  14. ↑ Henry, Caleb (20 December 2013). "SCSH, SSBV Enter Joint Venture Targeting South African Space Industry". Via Satellite. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  15. ↑ NewSpace Systems (8 July 2022). BUILDING SERIES | Part 2 | NewSpace Systems. Retrieved 1 June 2026 – via YouTube.
  16. ↑ SpaceRef (22 September 2015). "South African Satellite Company Launches Africa's first European Space Agency Standard Clean Room". SpaceNews. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  17. ↑ "2nd African Space Generation Workshop 2018: Connect Leaders of Aerospace Industry | Le Defi Media Group". defimedia.info (in French). Retrieved 27 March 2026.
  18. ↑ Lechman, Ashley (24 April 2025). "R5 trillion SME sector demands tangible backing". Business Report. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  19. ↑ "A framework to predict bearing loads of soft suspension reaction wheels during launch". Journal of Sound and Vibration. 601 118946. 14 April 2025. doi:10.1016/j.jsv.2025.118946. hdl:2292/76190. ISSN 0022-460X.
  20. ↑ "Western Cape's top entrepreneurs honoured". News24. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  21. ↑ Reporter, Staff (30 May 2018). "Meet the nine 2018 FNB Business Innovation Awards finalists". Ventureburn. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
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