The government has launched a new space strategy designed to safeguard national security and defence capabilities.
The UK Space Strategy is backed by a record £7.8 billion until 2030 and brings the government’s space investment and activity under one plan to drive growth, strengthen security and back the technologies that underpin modern life.
The strategy also recognises space as an increasingly important domain for keeping the country safe.
Work to strengthen Space Domain Awareness is being backed by projects including £149 million for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Vigil mission and £85 million for the National Space Operations Centre. This will cover things like the study and monitoring of objects like satellites, rockets and debris orbiting earth.
£880 million will support the UK’s space control and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities, funding technologies that can track military activity on the ground and potential attacks on satellites.
£2.8 billion will be spent on strengthening connectivity, including the Connectivity in Low Earth Orbit and SKYNET defence communications programmes.
Benefits of the work include more reliable connectivity to rural communities and reducing mobile signal dropouts on trains by using advanced satellite communications.
Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, said: “As space becomes a new frontier of economic and military competition, this plan will help keep Britain secure by strengthening our ability to launch satellites, detect threats and protect the services people rely on every day.
“At the same time, this plan will enable our excellent UK industry to seize the boundless opportunities of this new age in space, creating skilled jobs, driving growth and improving connectivity for all of us.”
Defence Secretary, Wes Streeting, said: “This space strategy recognises that our national security depends on our freedom of action in space and, if necessary, the ability to protect UK and allied space assets. As threats in orbit grow more sophisticated, so must our ability to detect and respond to them, ensuring we protect the interests of the UK and allies while fuelling economic growth along the way.
“Backed by the Defence Investment Plan, we’re investing more than £3 billion to ensure our defence capabilities in space keep pace with the threats we face, supporting reindustrialisation and creating opportunities here in the UK.”
