LONDON (IT BOLTWISE) – Britain’s space strategy is facing challenges as ambitions to take a leading role in the global space sector have stalled. A House of Lords report highlights the need to translate policy objectives into concrete results to avoid falling behind other nations.
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The UK’s space strategy, launched three years ago with great ambition, now faces the challenge of turning this into reality. A House of Lords report warns the UK risks losing its position in the global space sector unless action is taken quickly. The 2021 strategy aimed to make the UK a major player in space, but progress has so far been uneven.
On a positive note, the country’s early leadership in in-orbit servicing and manufacturing services as well as the growing momentum behind domestic launch capabilities. The country’s space economy has also grown at an average annual rate of 3.3% since the financial year 2009-10. The establishment of a National Space Operations Center in 2024 is intended to better coordinate civil and military space situational awareness capabilities.
Still, there are concerns that the UK is struggling to translate policy ambitions into tangible results. The report highlights the need for clear priorities, better coordination and long-term funding. Without decisive leadership and implementation, the country’s share of the global space economy, currently at around 5%, could shrink further.
Another focus of the report is the dependence on SpaceX services. Although there is currently no evidence that access to these services is at risk, the UK should develop plans to reduce dependency and secure access to diversified or sovereign services. The government is being asked to study the impact of a possible loss of access to SpaceX services.
The report also calls for clarification of the UK’s targets for its own launch capacity and commercial opportunities for local providers. While the 2021 strategy set the goal of becoming a leading provider of small satellite launch services, the market opportunity remains unclear. The decision to integrate the UK Space Agency into the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is also being viewed critically as this could affect the agency’s independence.
Finally, the British government is called upon to clarify its position on European space programs after Brexit. The report recommends detailed, funded implementation plans for national space capabilities, the appointment of a dedicated space minister, and the creation of a new funding model that attracts private investment.
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