Memorandum 45
Submission from the Royal Society
SUMMARY OF
KEY POINTS
— Greater involvement with international
bodies and initiatives could bring benefits to the UK space community.
At the moment the British National Space Centre (BNSC) is charged
essentially with a coordinating function at national level. However,
what is needed now if the UK is to seize the opportunities that
exist is a much more proactive role, of the type that could be
delivered by a UK Space Agency. Such an agency should, for example,
have a significant budget to fund research and applications; be
able to speak with authority and advise Government on priorities
for research and exploitation in UK space science; engage on a
more equal footing with the ESA and with national agencies in
other countries; and generally enable the UK to play a stronger
international leadership role in space science.
— A UK Space Agency should cover both
science and applications, and would need to have a balanced representation
of academia, industry and overseas partners. In establishing the
Agency, its relation with other bodies, especially the proposed
Large Facilities Council, would need to be defined.
— The UK contribution to the European
Space Agency (ESA) is 7% of ESA's total budget, compared to France
25%, Germany 20% and Italy 10%. We are concerned that this low
level of involvement means that the UK can no longer take a leading
role in the development of technologies for European missions.
This could also compromise the scope for commercial exploitation
of technologies being developed in the UK and the standing of
the UK space science community. Despite NASA's much higher budget,
ESA can be fully competitive with NASA in unmanned space missions
as the bulk of NASA's budget relates to the manned programme.
— Like any successful and thriving
science sector, UK space science requires a strong skills base
and a healthy and sustainable pool of research scientists. Measures
to tackle the declining numbers of A-level physics and mathematics
students and teachers are required to ensure the UK space science
community retains its world class reputation in the long term.
This submission has been prepared in consultation
with a number of national and international experts, including
Royal Society Fellows and University Research Fellows, and has
been approved by the Council of the Royal Society. We have responded
to the questions raised by the Committee, which are used as headings
throughout this document.
The impact of current levels of investment on
space-related activities on the UK's international competitiveness
in this sector
1. There are a number of space activities—both
research and industry related—that affect the UK's international
competitiveness. These include research in astronomy, planetary
and environmental sciences as well as industrial activities related
to satellite and instrument development for space missions. BNSC
is an umbrella organisation formed by 11 government departments
and research councils that co-ordinates UK space policy and programmes.
After a decrease from £183.18 million to £160.20 million
between 1997-98 and 2002-03, investment has since then increased
by nearly 30% to £207.61 million in 2005-06 (BNSC 2006a).
Some of our consultees believed that the UK is competitive and
that the business return is large. However, there is concern that
this is largely as a result of past investment and sustaining
this growth will require increased investment in emerging technologies.
2. We recognise that there have been a number
of examples of the UK losing its industrial capabilities and expertise,
such as British Aerospace selling its space interests to the French/Spanish/German
firm of EADS-Astrium.
3. The UK's contribution to ESA in 2006
amounts to approximately only 7% of ESA's total budget, which
is comparable to Belgium's contribution of 5%; whereas France,
Germany and Italy contributed approximately 25%, 20% and 10% respectively
(ESA 2006a). This modest contribution could be preventing the
UK from exploiting valuable opportunities. Most of the UK contribution
is to ESA's mandatory programmes and there is potential for greater
UK involvement in the optional programmes (ESA 2006b). Europe
currently dominates particle physics through the Large Hadron
Collider at CERN and could dominate areas of space science if
ESA and its funding governments chose to do so. Problems with
ESA, related to the relatively low funding level, include the
low mission frequency, for any given area, and lack of any explorer
class payloads where innovative ideas can be tried out.
The benefits and value for money obtained from
participation in the European Space Agency and other international
programmes.
4. Participation in international programmes
is essential to the UK's space ambitions since the costs of space
projects are so great that no single European country can afford
to go it alone. Moreover, participation means that the UK can
also access the results from joint missions, as well as the expertise
of non-UK scientists.
5. The ESA projects with which the UK has
been involved and that have already flown, have generally been
successful.
6. We also recognise that the BNSC has a
responsibility to collaborate with non-ESA space agencies, a notable
example of which was collaboration on NASA's Swift programme.
However, there is a potential role for the BNSC to help the community
take a more effective lead to maintain and widen collaborations
with non-European nations, especially the expanding Chinese and
Indian space programmes.
7. Although NASA's budget is very much greater
than ESA's, most of NASA's space programmes are on manned space
flights. There is therefore an opportunity for ESA (and Europe)
to be more competitive with NASA via unmanned programmes. If the
UK increases its contribution to ESA, then it could obtain greater
value for money through increased returns on unmanned programmes.
The maximisation of commercial benefits and wealth
creation from UK space-based technologies through innovation and
knowledge transfer
8. There are some well developed connections
between industry and the space science research community, supported
by schemes such as the PPARC Industrial Programme Support Scheme.
We hope this scheme will continue after PPARC and CCLRC merge
to form the LFC, which was announced by the Government in July
2006 (DTI 2006).
9. Effective innovation and knowledge transfer
require the development of further connections, or where there
is no appropriate existing firm, the establishment of spin-off
companies. One example of a spin-off company in this field is
the University of Surrey's company Surrey Satellite Technology
Ltd, which commercialises the results of the University's small
satellite engineering research activities.
10. We are concerned that the relatively
low UK contribution to ESA could mean the UK can no longer take
a leading role in the development of technologies for European
missions. This could also compromise the scope for commercial
exploitation of technologies being developed in the UK and the
standing of the UK space science community.
11. A major role for universities is to
provide a constant stream of highly trained staff for industry.
In the space based technologies this requires having sufficient
PhD students and post doctoral researchers involved in the development
of new space based instruments.
The delivery of public benefits from the space
related activities of different government departments and the
co-ordination of these activities
12. Whilst recognising the important co-ordinating
role of the BNSC, we are concerned that it may not be operating
as effectively as it could be. The space science sector encompasses
a large range of interests some of which did not feel that they
receive equal representation at the BNSC. It is important that
there is input from the grass roots research community into directing
UK space strategy. We therefore stress the need for improved mechanisms
of communication across the space science sector.
13. What is needed now if the UK is to seize
the opportunities that exist is a much more proactive role. This
could be delivered by a UK Space Agency covering both science
and applications, with a balanced representation of academia,
industry and overseas partners. It would be important to define
the Agency's relation with other bodies, especially the proposed
Large Facilities Council.
14. An agency should also, for example:
— have a significant budget to fund
research and applications;
— be able to speak with authority and
advise Government on priorities for research and exploitation
in UK space science;
— engage on a more equal footing with
ESA and with other national agencies in other countries; and
— generally enable the UK to play a
stronger international leadership role in space science.
15. One respondent expressed concern that
there may be gaps in the funding remit of research councils related
to space science. Given the current restructuring of CCLRC and
PPARC to the LFC, it is important to ensure that the full range
of research is covered in the remits of other relevant research
councils.
16. International bodies and initiatives,
such as the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) and the 2007
International Polar Year and International Heliophysical Year
programmes, provide valuable platforms for promoting the interests
of the UK space research community. We are disappointed that there
was no representative of the UK space science community at a COSPAR
meeting in Beijing 2006. To sustain these international programmes,
it is important that BNSC is involved.
Support for space related research and the UK
skills base
17. Technological innovation needs a strong
and well developed research base and so depends on a healthy and
sustainable pool of research scientists. The BNSC report "Size
and Health of the UK Space Industry 2006" contains a
warning that the workforce is ageing and a steady flow of replacements
depends on education (BNSC 2006b). This not only applies to space
science but also equally across all science areas. Unfortunately,
although the skills base of UK space science are world class,
there is a genuine risk that this level of quality may not be
sustainable.
18. During 2006, the Royal Society will
publish the findings of a project on undergraduate courses in
science, technology and mathematics specifically designed to educate
future professional scientists. This will reveal evidence of a
decline in numbers of entries to chemistry, physics and mathematics
A-levels between 1992 and 2006. Achieving the Government's desired
increase in A-level science entries depends on there being sufficient
numbers of suitably qualified specialist science and mathematics
teachers. The Government has committed to increase the numbers
of physics, chemistry and mathematics specialist teachers by 2014
(HM Treasury 2006). These commitments are welcome; however previous
Department for Education and Skills targets for the recruitment
of mathematics and science teachers have been missed.
19. Space science and astronomy education
in schools and colleges has a direct role in motivating and preparing
young people to join the skills base in space-related research.
But the curiosity and fascination it inspires can also play a
role in encouraging more pupils, both male and female, to consider
physics post-16. A recent survey commissioned by PPARC, along
with partners EADS-Astrium Ltd, BNSC and the Regional Development
Agency "Yorkshire Forward", found that space science
and astronomy have a direct, positive effect on educational and
career decisions and on participation and achievement in physical
sciences at GCSE, A-level and in Higher Education. Respondents
feel that space and astronomy appeal to boys and girls across
ages, abilities and cultures (PPARC 2006).
20. The evaluations of the Royal Society's
Summer Science Exhibitions show that the 1,000 or so post-16 students
who attend each year consistently rate space science, in its broader
sense, as their favourite topic in science after biology, chemistry
and health, and, perhaps most notably, before physics. The need
to promote diversity in science education and to build on the
natural interests of young people makes a strong claim on the
place of space science in education. The Society has supported
changes to Key Stage 4 science which have resulted in a new suite
of GCSEs being taught in schools from September 2006 that are
intended to be more relevant for students and flexible for teachers.
This increased opportunity to introduce space science into schools
does need to be supported, however, with high quality teaching
resources and professional development for teachers. Therefore,
those individuals and organisations engaged in space-related research
also need to be encouraged to become involved in outreach and
education development in order to support teaching and learning
in this subject.
21. Research council funding is awarded
on the basis of research excellence, not on the subsequent development
of the research group or on employment opportunities for scientists.
A primary aim of science base policy must be to ensure that UK
university research is as good and fit for purpose as it can be
by international standards. It is therefore important to provide
adequate support for the necessary skills base required to deliver
new technologies and innovation in UK space science.
22. The UK Government's Next Steps consultation
on improving Research Councils' effectiveness proposed a single
management structure for large facilities to solve current deficiencies
(HM Treasury 2006). In response, we stressed that the main deficiency
that needs to be addressed is the lack of a clear mechanism for
setting priorities for investment and exploitation across the
full spectrum of large facilities (Royal Society 2006). This is
relevant to space science and this aspect must be borne in mind
given the restructuring of the CCLRC and PPARC into the LFC.
REFERENCES British
National Space Centre (2006a) BNSC Space Activities 2006. BNSC:
London
Available online at:
www.bnsc.gov.uk/assets//channels/resources/publications/pdfs/SpaceActivities2006.pdf
British National Space Centre (2006b) Size
and Health of the UK Space Industry 2006. BNSC: London
Available online at:
www.bnsc.gov.uk/assets//channels/resources/news/2006UKspaceSizeHealth.pdf
Department of Trade and Industry (2006) Government
announces plans for new Large Facilities Council. DTI: London
Available online at:
www.gnn.gov.uk/environment/detail.asp?ReleaseID=216698&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFrom
Department=False
European Space Agency (2006) ESA Presentation.
European Space Agency: Paris
Available online at:
www.esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/presentation/english/2005_ESA_GeneralPresentation_English_WB.pdf
European Space Agency (2006b) Annual report
2005. European Space Agency: Paris
Available online at: www.esa.int/esapub/annuals/annual05/ESA_AR2005.pdf
HM Treasury 2006 Science and innovation investment
framework 2004-2014: next steps. The Stationery Office: London.
Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council
(2006) The Education and Skills Case for Space. PPARC:
Swindon
Available online at: www.pparc.ac.uk/ed/ESCS.asp
Royal Society (2006) Response to the Next
Steps consultation on improving Research Councils' effectiveness.
Royal Society: London
Available online at: http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/displaypagedoc.asp?id=21787
October 2006
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