A world-leading ‘space’ facility is using 14 new overhead cranes from Derbyshire-based Street Crane (www.streetcrane.co.uk) to help lift and manoeuvre specialist equipment around the 80,700ft² site.

The RAL Space facility in Oxfordshire is part of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, which is operated by the Science and Technology Facility Council (STFC).

Involved in more than 210 space missions so far, RAL Space is home to one of the most advanced space design, production and research facilities in Europe, with thermal vacuum chambers, 15 clean-rooms and low-vibration chambers, which recreate conditions in outer space and at launch.

Working with main contractor Willmott Dixon, Street Crane designed and installed 11 new overhead cranes with lifting capacities from 0.5 to 10 tonnes.

These are used throughout the building to lift and move scientific equipment and instruments, plus other specialist materials used by RAL.

Two larger cranes have since been installed, each featuring specially designed dual hoists.

The main 50-tonne hoist is used for infrequent heavy lifts, while the 15-tonne hoist is intended for smaller loads and regular use.

The other crane is similarly configured, with a 30-tonne and a 5-tonne hoist.

This crane spans the full 35m width of the facilities hall and will be used to transfer space instrumentation and equipment to the hall’s clean-rooms for assembly and testing.