The UK government has announced a series of new policies to improve the international competitiveness of the country’s space sector.
The measures are in response to the Space Innovation and Growth Strategy (IGS) action plan 2014 – 2030 that was…
The UK government has announced a series of new policies to improve the international competitiveness of the country’s space sector.
The measures are in response to the Space Innovation and Growth Strategy (IGS) action plan 2014 – 2030 that was presented to the government in November 2013. It aims to help the UK capture 10% of the global space market by 2030, estimated to be worth £400bn (US$675bn), and to increase turnover to £19bn (US$32bn) by 2020. It was drawn up by a steering board comprising members of both the public and private sectors and was led by UKspace, the UK space trade association.
The government has broadly welcomed all of the suggestions made in the IGS and has agreed to improve the regulatory framework for space activity, as well as provide stronger support for UK space exports.
To that end, the government said it would finalise the changes to the Outer Space Act limit on third party liability as soon as possible, and that the UK Space Agency has been tasked with simplifying the process of obtaining satellite licenses, including working with the country’s communications regulator Ofcom to see if a swifter, cheaper and more seamless process could be delivered.
The UK Space Agency will also lead the creation of a Space Regulatory & Spectrum group, which will help shape the UK’s agenda at international regulatory meetings, secure satellite spectrum needed for new services, and provide advice and support for future regulatory reform.
The government is also seeking to increase UK space exports from £2bn (US$3.4bn) to £25bn (US$42.2bn) per annum by 2030. It will do so by launching a National Space Growth Programme to increase the country’s bi-lateral collaboration.
In addition, its space agency is working with HM Treasury to develop a repayable investment funding mechanism, similar in principle to the civil aviation ‘Repayable Launch Investment’ scheme that can provide financial support for innovative platform, payload, services and/or applications.
Europe has been identified as key to the UK achieving its space ambitions. The government report recommends increasing the UK’s contribution to the European Space Agency (ESA), participating in more public-private partnerships with the institution, and strengthening the presence of UK nationals in senior positions at the agency.
UK space port a step closer
The UK government remains determined to evaluate the feasibility of establishing a space port in the country.
It has tasked the UK Space Agency to champion the policy and investment required to establish a space port by 2018, and identify further reforms to regulation needed to allow commercial space flight in the UK.
In July 2014, the space agency will issue the first results from the work of a cross-government National Space Flight Coordination Group that was set up to take forward that ambition.
Thales Alenia Space sets up UK base
European satellite manufacturer Thales Alenia Space has created a new British subsidiary, Thales Alenia Space UK.
Based at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus (HISC) in Oxfordshire, Thales Alenia Space UK is part of the company’s strategy to bolster its presence in key countries that invest heavily in the space sector.
Thales said the decision to locate a new subsidiary in the UK was spurred by the UK government’s commitment to fund space activities and create new initiatives to foster growth in the space industry – including the formation of the UK Space Agency, an increased contribution to the ESA, and more recently securing a significant share of the Neosat programme for the UK.
Thales Alenia Space UK will be an integral part of its Neosat prime engineering activities, and will contribute to the design and production of the propulsion subsystem for this new platform.
Martin Gee, CEO of Thales Alenia Space UK, said: “Thales Alenia Space’s decision to come to the UK is a direct result of the UK government’s work to create a space-friendly research and technology environment, new access to funding and an effective business support network”.
The move follows the opening of Thales Alenia Space’s subsidiary in Germany in 2011, and the extension of the presence of Thales Alenia Space in Belgium by the creation of an office in Leuven in 2013.
