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The Establishment of the UK Space Agency

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Yearbook on Space Policy 2010/2011

Part of the book series: Yearbook on Space Policy ((YEARSPACE))

Abstract

Unlike most countries active in space, the United Kingdom had no independent space agency until 2010. One of the government ministries, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), is primarily responsible for the development of UK space policy and the regulation of space activity.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    BNSC Partners were: Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, (BIS); Department for Children, Schools and Families, (DCSF); Department for Transport, (DfT); Ministry of Defence, (MoD); Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (FCO); Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (Defra); Natural Environment Research Council, (NERC); Science and Technology Facilities Council, (STFC); Met Office; and Technology Strategy Board, (TSB).

  2. 2.

    UK Space Agency. 15 Nov. 2009. http://www.bnsc.gov.uk.

  3. 3.

    See supra footnote 1.

  4. 4.

    A Department for Business Innovation and Skills Consultation on the Funding and Management of UK Civil Space Activities, starting 22 July 2009, ending 14 October 2009. http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/ukspaceagency/docs/09-1170-consultation-funding-management-of-uk-civil-space

  5. 5.

    The decision to form the Agency is also consistent with the Innovation and Growth Team report 2009–2010. The Team’s recommendations are in the Innovation and Growth Strategy (IGS) Report, Feb. 2010. http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/ukspaceagency/docs/igs/space-igs-exec-summary-and-recomm.pdf

  6. 6.

    “How the UK Space Agency Makes a Difference.” UK Space Agency 19 Nov. 2011. http://www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency/who-we-are/how-we-make-a-difference.

    The statement is made against the background of more than a decade in which the UK space industry has shown consistently high growth levels, that have been maintained even during the recession. Preliminary results from the ongoing biennial Study of the UK Space Industry indicate that growth over the last 3 years averaged about 11%. The UK’s space sector contributes £7.5bn a year to the UK economy, directly employs 24,900 and supports a further 60,000 jobs across a variety of industries.

  7. 7.

    “UK and India Agree Greater Collaboration in Space.” 1 Apr. 2011. UK Space Agency 19 Nov. 2011. http://www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency/news-and-events/2011/Apr/uk-and-india-agree-greater-collaboration-in-space.

  8. 8.

    Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Structural Reform Plan: Monthly Implementation Update, published in July 2010. http://www.number10.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/BIS-Monthly-Update.pdf.

  9. 9.

    United Kingdom Space Agency (Transfer of Property etc.) Order 2011, SI 2011/822 of 16 Mar. 2011. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/822/made?view=plain.

  10. 10.

    Ibid.

  11. 11.

    Ibid.

  12. 12.

    Currently Dr. David J Williams.

  13. 13.

    Currently Rt Hon David Willetts; also the Co-Chairman of the Space Leadership Council.

  14. 14.

    The Council comprises 25 individuals who are senior industry, academic and government representatives. Other individuals with specific expertise in relevant fields, and government ministers or high officials also attend relevant meetings of the Council. See generally “Space Leadership Council.” UK Space Agency 19 Nov. 2011. http://www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency/who-we-are/how-we-work/space-leadership-council.

  15. 15.

    The IGS Report contains the recommendations of the Innovation and Growth Team (IGT), established in 2009 to report on strategies to grow the space sector over a 20-year period.

  16. 16.

    The appointment of the Chairman and three Members was announced on 26 August 2011. One Member will also be the Chairman of the Audit Committee.

  17. 17.

    “UK Space Agency Opportunities.” 22 Mar. 2011. UK Space Agency 19 Nov. 2011.http://www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency/news-and-events/2011/Mar/uk-space-agency-opportunities.

  18. 18.

    See also supra footnotes 16 and 17.

  19. 19.

    “Who We Work with.” UK Space Agency 19 Nov. 2011. http://www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency/who-we-are/who-we-work-with.

  20. 20.

    A Trading Fund within the Ministry of Defence, the Met Office operates on a commercial basis under set targets. See Met Office 19 Nov. 2011. http://www.metoffice.gov.uk.

  21. 21.

    NERC is the UK’s main agency for funding and managing research, training and knowledge exchange in the environmental sciences. It is funded by the Treasury and income from external research, sale of data and consultancy. See Natural Environment Research Council 19 Nov. 2011. http://www.nerc.ac.uk

  22. 22.

    The STFC is a non-departmental public body of BIS. It operates or hosts advanced experimental facilities, funded through mainly through BIS. The STFC tackles significant challenges such as meeting future energy needs, monitoring and understanding climate change, and global security. It has a broad science portfolio and works with the academic and industrial communities to share its expertise in materials science, space and ground-based astronomy technologies, laser science, microelectronics, wafer scale manufacturing, particle and nuclear physics, alternative energy production, radio communications and radar. See Science & Technology Facilities Council 19 Nov. 2011. http://www.stfc.ac.uk.

  23. 23.

    The TSB is an executive non-departmental public body (NDPB), established in 2007 and sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). Its activities are jointly supported and funded by BIS and other government departments, the devolved administrations, regional development agencies and research councils. See Technology Strategy Board 19 Nov. 2011. http://www.innovateuk.org.

  24. 24.

    A Service Level Agreement (SLA) defines how the Technology Strategy Board and the UK Space Agency work together. See “Technology Strategy Board and UK Space Agency Service Level Agreement.” 11 Mar. 2011. UK Space Agency 19 Nov. 2011. http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/ukspaceagency/docs/service-level-agreement/technologystrategyboardsla2011march.pdf.

  25. 25.

    UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is a government agency, reporting jointly to BIS and the Foreign Office. It works with UK-based businesses to ensure their success in international markets, and encourage the best overseas companies to look to the UK as their global partner of choice. See UK Trade & Investment 19 Nov. 2011. http://www.ukti.gov.uk.

  26. 26.

    See further UK Space Agency 19 Nov. 2011. http://www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency.

  27. 27.

    ISIC announced in March 2010, was formally launched on 6 May 2011. It provides facilities for the public sector, private sector and academia to work together to develop new space applications. ISIC will support the £10 million National Space Technology Programme announced in the 2011 Budget. See Scientific & Technology Facilities Council – International Space Innovation Centre 19 Nov. 2011. http://www.stfc.ac.uk/ISIC/default.aspx

  28. 28.

    The Act also applies to individuals and organisations established in United Kingdom Overseas Territories or Crown Dependencies.

  29. 29.

    “The Outer Space Act 1986.” UK Space Agency 19 Nov. 2011. http://www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency/what-we-do/space-and-the-growth-agenda/uk-capabilities-for-overseas-markets/the-outer-space-act-1986.

    Mosteshar, Sa’id. “Regulation of Space Activities in the United Kingdom.” National Regulation of Space Activities. Ed. Ram S. Jakhu. Dordrecht Heidelberg London New York: Springer, 2010. 357–371.

  30. 30.

    See Outer Space Act 1986, Sec. 5; See also “Third-party Liability Reform for UK Space Projects.” Rocketeers 9 July 2011. 19 Nov. 2011 http://www.rocketeers.co.uk/node/1618; and “The Outer Space Act 1986” UK Space Agency 19 Nov. 2011 http://www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency/what-we-do/space-and-the-growth-agenda/uk-capabilities-for-overseas-markets/the-outer-space-act-1986.

  31. 31.

    Outer Space Act 1986, Sec. 10. 22 Nov. 2011. http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/ukspaceagency/docs/osa/outer-space-act-1986.pdf.

  32. 32.

    “UK Plan to Create £40bn Space Industry and 100,000 New Jobs.” 8 Feb. 2010. UK Space Agency 19 Nov. 2011. http://www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency/news-and-events/2010/Feb/uk-plan-to-create-40bn-space-industry.

  33. 33.

    “The Space Innovation and Growth Strategy 2010 to 2030.” UK Space Agency 23 Dec. 2011. http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/ukspaceagency/docs/igs/space-igs-main-report.pdf.

  34. 34.

    “What we do.” UK Space Agency 19 Nov. 2011. http://www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency/what-we-do.

  35. 35.

    “UK Space Agency Strategy for 2011–2015 – Consultation Document.” UK Space Agency 1 Apr. 2011. http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/ukspaceagency/docs/strategy/11-834-uk-space-agency-strategy-2011-2015-consultation.pdf.

  36. 36.

    Article 189 of the Treaty of Lisbon on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). OJ 2010/C 83/01 of 30 March 2010. European space policy is not a new departure, but dates back several years, supporting GMES (Global Monitoring for the Environment and Security) and EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigational Overlay Service).

  37. 37.

    Article 189(2) TFEU.

  38. 38.

    Article 189(3) TFEU.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. London Institute of Space Policy and Law and London University, London, UK

    Sa’id Mosteshar

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  1. Sa’id Mosteshar
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Correspondence to Sa’id Mosteshar .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. European Space Policy Institute, Reisnerstrasse 6, Vienna, 1030, Austria

    Peter Hulsroj

  2. European Space Policy Institute, Schwarzenbergplatz 6, Vienna, 1030, Austria

    Spyros Pagkratis

  3. European Space Policy Institute, Schwarzenbergplatz 6, Vienna, 1030, Austria

    Blandina Baranes

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Mosteshar, S. (2013). The Establishment of the UK Space Agency. In: Hulsroj, P., Pagkratis, S., Baranes, B. (eds) Yearbook on Space Policy 2010/2011. Yearbook on Space Policy. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-1363-9_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-1363-9_3

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