UK space sector 'lacks strategic direction,' Lords warn

"The UK's House of Lords UK Engagement with Space Committee has published a scathing report, "The Space Economy: Act Now or Lose Out," declaring that the 2021 National Space Strategy has "failed to turn its ambitions into reality." The verdict is blunt: "The UK space sector lacks the strategic direction necessary for success." The space sector contributes £18.6 billion to the UK economy, employs approximately 55,000 people and has enviable technological prowess when it comes to building satellites and payloads."

"Part of the problem stems from Brexit as the UK no longer has a formal say in the EU space program. The report highlights the country's exclusion from ESA's Copernicus project until 2024 and access to European markets becoming more "complex and burdensome". It adds: "the UK's ability to influence the direction of ESA and maximise the benefits of its programmes may be fundamentally altered should ESA become more heavily influenced by EU policymaking." Another problem? Responsibility for space is scattered across government."

The 2021 National Space Strategy failed to turn its ambitions into reality. The UK space sector lacks the strategic direction necessary for success. The sector contributes £18.6 billion, employs about 55,000 people, and excels in satellite and payload technology. Productivity is more than twice the UK average and the sector accounts for 4.3–6.1% of the global space economy, but output contracted 8.9% between 2021/22 and 2022/23. Brexit removed formal UK input into EU space programmes, caused exclusion from ESA's Copernicus project until 2024, and made European market access more complex. Responsibility for space policy is dispersed across ministries; a dedicated Space Minister and a shift from research grants to procurement-based funding are recommended to attract private investment and strengthen capabilities.

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