UK Space Agency

Memorandum submitted by the European Space Agency (UKSA 03)

1. What progress has been made in setting up the UK Space Agency?

ESA is following progress on this with interest. In particular, ESA is putting in place activities at Harwell in parallel with the development there of the national International Space Innovation Centre.

The setting up of the UK agency was seen as a renewal of British interest in playing a more important role at the European level. It is not an isolated step as it came in parallel to the increased commitment of UK to ESA programmes at the 2008 Ministerial Council (in particular to the exploration of Mars), the UK’s strong support to the public-private partnership approach in space telecommunications, the UK-ESA partnership in the Harwell Centre. At the same time, the special, often entrepreneurial, approaches of UK scientists and industry are something that offers much potentially to Europe on the world scale. Lastly one can note that the recent public response to the selection of an ESA astronaut from UK showed a deep interest in space exploration among the British public.

2. How does the UK Space Agency work with other bodies (national and international) on space issues?

The enhanced authority implicit in the setting up of the agency bodes well for UK in its capacity to negotiate within the ESA context. It is early days yet but it is fair to say that, in the past year, the formation of UKSA has strengthened the hand of the UK at the Council table. However enhanced authority will also mean a need for there to be a solid technical and political team in the new Agency.

3. Is the UK Space Agency more effective at coordinating space policy than its predecessor, the British National Space Centre?

If it is given the enhanced overall authority expected, the answer will be positive as an oversight of all of UK civil space interests will lead to better cross-discipline coordination. If it remains with only a coordination role (as with BNSC) little change can happen. The case for change is straightforward.

Space needs long term consistent funding and, particularly, a pattern of consistent investment. The industrial policy underlying ESA programmes is used not only to develop new capacities but also can be deployed to maintain a base technical capability. Inconsistent investment patterns lead to capacities being conceded to other Member State industries; it can be very expensive to re-establish a national capability as investment is moved elsewhere.

4. What should the UK Space Agency’s priorities be for the next five years?

Within the ESA context, the large element offered of "à la carte" optional programmes leaves Member States a lot of freedom to set their key national priorities. The UK has already taken solid positions in science, robotic exploration, and telecommunications. The UK has taken important lead positions in climate change and Earth science. These areas need to be sustained and consolidated but evidently there are plenty of opportunities for expansion. The specific capabilities of the UK industrial and science community need to be considered in deciding where to put money. In this respect, the emphasis on innovation inherent in the setting up of the ISIC and evidenced in past industrial activities can be a base for future expanded investment.

It must be emphasized that the long-term nature of space investment, means investment consistent (over time) and coherent (across disciplines) is fundamental to building national capacity and to getting the best return.

5. Is the UK Space Agency adequately funded?

ESA always tries to provide a return proportional to a member state’s investment in ESA. However, the evidence is that the larger the investment the more effective the return, not just in the role played by any nation in ESA programmes but also in capturing commercial markets. With space one needs a moderately long term view of investment but past experience of countries which steadily have increased investment on the scale of years is that the return is disproportionately higher.

The UK has for many years invested less in its national participation in ESA than comparable states. This was originally attributable to a strategy by the UK to concentrate its investment on space applications and on science-related missions and eschewing investment in launchers and human spaceflight. However, in recent years, its investment in applications has also declined relative to other states. The UK now contributes 4€ per capita per annum to ESA programmes versus 8€ and 10€ in the case of Germany and France respectively.

This limits the UK’s ability to create service industries derived from scientific missions and, in particular, to benefit from the EU’s investment in these areas. The Global Monitoring for Environment and Security programme illustrates both these points. The establishment of UKSA was seen as an intention for a reversal of this trend and, together with the work of the Innovation and Growth Team, its arrival was greeted as part of a substantive change in national strategy. The establishment by ESA of the Harwell centre was in response to this perception.

Jean-Jacques Dordain, Director General

European Space Agency

August 2010