Third time lucky for National Space Strategy
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson pictured with the LauncherOne rocket from Virgin Orbit. (Photo: 10 Downing Street)
Following two delayed publication dates, the UK has finally released its National Space Strategy.
The UK government launched its much-anticipated (but twice-delayed) National Space Strategy (NSS) on 27 September.
This new vision aims to help grow a multibillion-pound space industry in the UK, boost private investment and capitalise on UK strengths such as satellite manufacturing.
The aim is to bring together civil and defence space activities to combat emerging international threats such as cyber-attacks and anti-satellite missiles, as well as to protect UK interests at home and abroad.
A Defence Space Strategy is to be published, which the UK government stated will ‘integrate current and planned capability management activities’.
Defence-related UK space investment will include about £5 billion ($6.85 billion) over the next decade to enhance SATCOM (mainly via Skynet 6) and a further £1.4 billion to acquire and develop new technologies in space domain awareness, C2, ISR and other new capabilities.
Industry reacted positively to the NSS launch. Alex Zino, EVP Business Development and Future Programmes at Rolls-Royce Defence, said the company is looking forward ‘to working collaboratively with the UK government and our wider industry partners to progress this long-term vision’.
Building on the establishment of the UK-Australia Space Bridge earlier in 2021, the NSS also seeks to establish new trade partnerships with global space allies.
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