The UK Government announced the new National Space Strategy on Tuesday, which includes £7.8 billion ($10.5 billion) in investment until 2030.
Under the strategy, the UK focuses on four priority subsectors: satellite communications, in-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing, space domain awareness, and assured access to space. In particular, the Government plans to enhance national defense and security, design an integrated satellite communications system, and improve train connectivity and phone signal strength for civilians.
Satellite communications
The largest investment, equalling £2.8 billion ($3.7 billion), will go towards strengthening the Connectivity in Low Earth Orbit and SKYNET defense communications programs. According to the Government’s press release, this will not only keep the Armed Forces connected worldwide but also bring faster connectivity to rural communities and reduce mobile signal dropouts on trains.
£880 million ($1.1 billion) will back up the UK’s space control and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities, funding technologies to track ground-based military activity and potential attacks on satellites.
Space domain awareness
The Government also allocated £149 million ($201 million) to the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Vigil mission and £85 million ($114 million) to the National Space Operations Center. Both are involved in the study of objects orbiting Earth, such as satellites, rockets, and debris.
In-orbit servicing, assembly, and manufacturing
Other investments include £40 million ($54 million) to support pioneering in-orbit servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM) technologies to repair and maintain damaged satellites and to develop products in space, such as semiconductors or pharmaceuticals.
Assured access to space
£148 million ($200 million) will go towards European rocket programs, while £30 million ($40 million) will support SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland, the UK’s first fully licensed vertical launch spaceport.
Additional investments include £163 million ($220 million) backing up space science and exploration missions, such as the delivery of the Rosalind Franklin Mars Rover; £57 million ($77 million) allocated by the Department for Transport to improve rail connectivity; £190 million ($256 million) from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) that will go towards the astronomy and space science research; £9 million ($12 million) from the Met Office that are set to strengthen space weather forecasting.
With these investments, the Government intends to grow the national space sector to a worth of £18.6 billion ($25 billion), supporting more than 55,000 skilled jobs.
The new strategy replaces the previous National Space Strategy, published in 2021, and aims to help deliver the Modern Industrial Strategy, according to the press release. The space regulations will also be reformed to reduce costs, reward responsible operators, and encourage UK firms to invest in innovative missions.