New laws are set to get Royal Assent today (Thursday, 15 March)
which will unlock an exciting era of British space innovation,
exploration and investment.
The Space Industry Bill will enable the first commercial space
launch from UK soil in history, creating the potential for
hundreds of highly-skilled jobs and bringing in billions of
pounds for the economy.
The passing of the Bill, the most modern piece of space industry
legislation anywhere in the world, means British businesses will
soon be able to compete in the commercial space race using UK
spaceports.
This will not only ensure Britain is capable of launching small
satellites and scientific experiments from our own soil, but also
able to take advantage of future developments like hypersonic
flight and high-speed point to point transport.
The UK is already a global hub for satellite manufacturing,
operation and application development. Access to space will allow
companies to deploy satellites as well, making the UK a one-stop
shop for satellites services and the best place in Europe to
start and grow a space business.
Transport Minister said: “Access to
space is the final piece of the puzzle for the UK space sector
and forms part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy – helping
to drive growth across the country and unlocking hundreds of
highly-skilled jobs in our regions.
“The Space Industry Bill gives companies the ability to launch
satellites from UK soil, putting us at the forefront of the new
space race, and helping us to compete as the destination of
choice for satellite companies worldwide.”
Science Minister said: “The Space
Industry Bill offers an exciting opportunity for the UK to soar
to new heights and be at the forefront of the commercial space
age. Through the government’s ambitious Industrial Strategy, we
are working with the sector to pursue pioneering commercial space
opportunities, including developing new technologies,
infrastructure and services. This will open up the UK to new
frontiers, transforming the way we live, and establishing us as a
space flight leader.”
With one in four of all telecoms satellites substantially built
in Britain and our businesses at the forefront of hypersonic
flight technology, through its Industrial Strategy, the
Government is working with the industry to increase its global
share of the space sector from 6.5% to 10% by 2030.
And if the UK can build its own space ports, we will also be able
to tap into the rapidly expanding launch market – worth an
estimated £10 billion over the next decade.
Satellite services already support more than £250 billion of GDP
in the wider UK economy as well as products and services we all
rely on.
Science Minister will also announce eight new
projects today as part of the UK Space Agency’s Space for Smarter
Government Programme, which demonstrates the potential of using
satellite technology to solve challenges faced by the public
sector.
These projects range from using satellite data and machine
learning technology to support the roll out of charging points
for electric vehicles, to deploying drones and satellites in the
battle against marine waste.
The Space Industry Bill will also create new opportunities for
the UK’s business and scientific community to carry out
cutting-edge research and inspire the next generation of British
scientists and engineers.
Work is already underway to ensure the next generation is
involved – with over 1,000 apprenticeships in the space sector
and Government’s Year of Engineering campaign championing careers
in STEM to the next generation of scientists and astronauts. And
it is British scientists, engineers, programmers and
entrepreneurs who are at the forefront of shaping this future.
Dr Graham Turnock, Chief Executive of the UK Space
Agency, said: “The Space Industry Bill guarantees
the sky is not the limit for future generations of engineers,
entrepreneurs and scientists. We will set out how we plan to
accelerate the development of the first commercial launch
services from the UK, and realise the full potential of this
enabling legislation over the coming months.”
Currently UK firms rely on a limited supply of launches in other
countries which leaves them vulnerable to launch delays. The
Space Industry Bill will help to increase the supply of launch
services closer to home, and capture a share of growing global
launch demand.
Government will now work to create a regulatory structure that
empowers innovation, embraces opportunity and ensures UK launch
activity is carried out safely and responsibly in the UK.
