A landmark agreement between the UK Space Agency and State Space
Agency of Ukraine (SSAU) will open a new chapter in civil and
commercial space cooperation between the two countries.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at the Embassy
of Ukraine in London by UK Space Agency Chief Executive Dr Paul
Bate and General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ambassador of Ukraine to the
United Kingdom.
This is the first agency-to-agency agreement between the UK Space
Agency and SSAU. It demonstrates the UK's commitment to deepening
cooperation with Ukraine in the space sector and supports the
ambitions set out in the UK-Ukraine 100 Year
Partnership, agreed in January 2025.
A formal framework will encourage collaboration between UK and
Ukrainian space organisations and boost the exchange of
information and expertise, while supporting new activity in areas
of mutual interest across civil and commercial space.
This week, the UK Space Agency will also contribute €100,000 to
support a programme of joint activities between the European
Space Agency (ESA) and SSAU, which will help bolster Ukraine's
space sector. The first activity is a project called
‘Agricultural and ecological monitoring services for Ukraine and
Black Sea region (SEN4STATUkr)', which is set to improve current
practices in agriculture statistics using Earth Observation
data.
The SSAU brings together a strong scientific and industrial base,
supporting the development and manufacture of modern launch
vehicles, spacecraft engines, control systems, command radio
links, telemetry and other advanced space technologies. Its
ecosystem includes industry and research institutes employing
around 10,000 highly skilled specialists.
The new agreement highlights a shared commitment to the peaceful
use of outer space, international cooperation, and the
development of space technologies that can deliver social and
economic benefits.
Dr Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said:
Space is central to modern economies, from communications and
navigation to climate monitoring and infrastructure resilience.
This agreement marks an important step in strengthening our
partnership with Ukraine in the civil and commercial space
sector.
By working together, we can support innovation, unlock new
commercial opportunities for UK and Ukrainian organisations, and
harness space technologies to deliver real-world benefits for our
citizens.
Volodymyr Mikheiev, Acting Head of the State Space Agency of
Ukraine, said:
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the State
Space Agency of Ukraine and the UK Space Agency is an important
step in strengthening cooperation between our countries in the
space sector.
We highly value the opportunity to begin a closer dialogue and
exchange of experience between our agencies, as well as to bring
our national space sectors closer together. I am confident that
our partnership will contribute to the development of joint space
initiatives for the benefit of the people of Ukraine and the
United Kingdom.
Following the signing, the SSAU will meet with UK Space Agency
programme leads to explore potential areas for
collaboration.
The UK has one of the largest space sectors in Europe, employing
tens of thousands of people across the country in satellite
manufacturing, space science, launch services and downstream
applications. Today's agreement reinforces the UK's role as a
leading partner in international space cooperation and
strengthens ties with Ukraine as part of a long-term, strategic
partnership.
