The UK government has released a long-term vision for the country’s burgeoning space sector. The National Space Strategy includes several measures that it says will “unleash” the industry’s potential and brings together – for the first time – the UK government’s civil and defence space activities. Yet while the strategy includes many bold aims, some state that it is recycling “old ideas”.
The report, released yesterday, notes that the global space economy is projected to grow from an estimated £270bn in 2019 to £490bn by 2030. The space sector in the UK is worth over £16.4bn per year and employs more than 45 000 people. Next year, the UK aims to become the first country to launch a rocket into orbit from Europe and by 2030 hopes to be a leading provider of commercial small satellite launches in Europe.
