National Space Strategy in Action

Wednesday 19th July 2023 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Chloe Smith)]

Since the new Department for Science, Innovation and Technology was created, we have been clear on its mission to make the UK a science and technology superpower and grow the economy.

Today we are taking further decisive steps towards that objective, by publishing the Government’s “National Space Strategy in Action”.

Since the publication of “National Space Strategy” in September 2021, jointly with the MOD, we have made significant progress to deliver our ambition to build one of the most innovative and attractive space economies in the world. We have announced more than £10 billion of funding for space activities stretching across a decade, including more than £1.75 billion to our key delivery agency the UK Space Agency (UKSA) in this spending review period.

We have appointed a new CEO, Paul Bate, and chair, Lord Willetts, to UKSA; matured UK Space Command and published the first defence space strategy; convened the National Space Council to provide ministerial co-ordination and leadership; and the creation of DSIT has brought together space policy and spectrum and space communications regulatory policy into one Department. We are demonstrating that regulatory leadership in creating an industry-led space sustainability standard; a framework of standards for measuring and managing debris, improving satellite repair and retrieval and benchmarking genuinely sustainable supply chains with strong support from the space sector in the UK and internationally.

We have delivered on the licensing and first launch from the UK’s first spaceport; we remain committed to becoming the leading provider of commercial small satellite launches in Europe by 2030, with a horizontal spaceport now established in Newquay, and more launches planned from Scotland at SaxaVord and Sutherland spaceports. And we have made a major investment of £1.84 billion into the European Space Agency in November 2022, securing three new British astronauts alongside major commercial opportunities for UK SMEs in hugely important international collaborations.

The global space race for commercial investment is only speeding up. Our nearest competitor nations are significantly increasing their investment in space activities and, despite the long-term nature of space exploration, the speed at which the new commercial space economy is evolving requires much more agile and innovative responses from Government, if we are to avoid falling behind, from small satellite design, manufacturing and launch, to space traffic management, satellite communications, earth observation and the lunar economy.

This publication sets out just the first part of our response to that challenge and the concrete steps needed to deliver on the national space strategy ambition in the short term.

It defines the next steps we will take in delivering the national space strategy, moving from the “ignition” phase into the “thrust” phase. It sets out some concrete policy steps we are taking now and sets the direction for the work of Government over the next 18 months—giving space sector businesses and innovators a clarity and confidence of where Government are intervening, and where we will intervene in the future. And it sets out the key metrics we will use to track our progress.

I will be placing copies of this publication in the Libraries of both Houses, and it will also be made available on gov.uk.

[HCWS976]