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Select Committee · Science, Innovation and Technology Committee

UK space strategy and UK satellite infrastructure

Status: Closed Opened: 23 Apr 2021 Closed: 19 Feb 2024 35 recommendations 10 conclusions 2 reports

The UK space sector holds great potential, generating an income of £14.8 billion annually according to the Government’s Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy . Nevertheless, it has been suggested that the UK’s approach to space policy requires a rethink. Further, investment in UK lags behind that of other nations such as …

Clear

Reports

2 reports
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Seventh Report - UK space strategy and UK satellite infrast… HC 1717 14 Jul 2023 8 Responded
Second Report - UK space strategy and UK satellite infrastr… HC 100 4 Nov 2022 37 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 items
1 Recommendation Second Report - UK space strategy and U… Rejected

We understand that, once fully launched, the OneWeb low Earth orbit constellation will provide broadband...

We understand that, once fully launched, the OneWeb low Earth orbit constellation will provide broadband coverage, via broadband providers such as BT, to people in the UK and elsewhere, including those in remote areas. However, it is not clear to us what other benefits the Government’s purchase of OneWeb will …

Government response. The government does not agree to provide a separate yearly report on the OneWeb investment, stating that the information is already available in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts and through press releases.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
15 Recommendation Second Report - UK space strategy and U… Rejected

We are concerned that the delay in achieving the first UK launch is partly due...

We are concerned that the delay in achieving the first UK launch is partly due to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) being unable to process licence applications in a timely manner. For this initial set of licence applications, the Department for Transport must provide additional resource to the CAA to …

Government response. The government states that the CAA has been sufficiently resourced and has worked at the pace of the industry, and that setting an arbitrary target of 3-6 months for licence processing would risk increasing the regulatory burden.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Oral evidence sessions

8 sessions
Date Witnesses
17 May 2023 Colin Macleod · Civil Aviation Authority, Dave Ballance · SaxaVord Spaceport, Frank Strang · SaxaVord Spaceport, George Freeman MP · Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Jonas Bjarnø · Orbex, Mario Kobald · HyImpulse Technologies, Rebecca Evernden · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Rob Bishton · Civil Aviation Authority View ↗
1 Mar 2023 Dan Hart · Virgin Orbit, Ian Annett · UK Space Agency, Joshua Western · Space Forge Ltd, Melissa Quinn · Spaceport Cornwall, Patrick McCall · Space Forge Ltd, Sir Stephen Hillier CBE · Civil Aviation Authority, Tim Johnson · Aviation Environment Federation View ↗
10 Feb 2022 Dr Gillian Lang · Glasgow Science Centre, Dr Lynne O'Hare · National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, Dr Stuart Hannah · MicroPlate Dx, Elaine Gemmell · Scottish Health Innovations Ltd, Karen Watt · Scottish Funding Council, Professor Frank Coton · University of Glasgow, Professor Iain Woodhouse · University of Edinburgh, Professor Malcolm Macdonald · University of Strathclyde, Simon Andrews · Fraunhofer UK View ↗
9 Feb 2022 Dr Paul Bate · UK Space Agency, Hugo Robson · Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Mark Thomson · Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rebecca Evernden · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng · Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy View ↗
12 Jan 2022 Colin Macleod · Civil Aviation Authority, Dr Hiroshi Yamakawa · Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Dr Philippe Baptiste · Centre national d'études spatiales—French National Space and Research Centre, Josef Aschbacher · European Space Agency, Tim Johnson · Aviation Environment Federation View ↗
8 Dec 2021 Chris McLaughlin · OneWeb, Dr Hina Khan · Spire Global Limited, Jon Styles · Assimila, Professor Sir Martin Sweeting · Surrey Satellite Technologies Ltd, Yasrine Ibnyahya · Inmarsat View ↗
17 Nov 2021 Alan Thompson · Skyrora Limited, Dan Hart · Virgin Orbit, Melissa Thorpe · Spaceport Cornwall, Nicholas Smith · Lockheed Martin Space, Pete Guthrie · Space Hub Sutherland, Scott Hammond · SaxaVord Spaceport View ↗
3 Nov 2021 Lucy Edge · Satellite Applications Catapult, Professor Anu Ojha · National Space Academy, Professor David Southwood · Imperial College London, Professor Washington Yotto Ochieng · Imperial College London View ↗

Correspondence

7 letters
DateDirectionTitle
19 Apr 2023 — Correspondence from Minister of State for Department for Transport, to Chair in…
7 Sep 2022 — Correspondence from Secretary of State for BEIS relating to OneWeb merger
30 Jun 2022 — Correspondence from Science Minister George Freeman MP relating to Space Indust…
26 May 2022 — Correspondence from Rt. Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Secretary of State of Business, …
27 Apr 2022 — Correspondence from the Chair to Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Secretary of State for Busi…
31 Mar 2022 — Correspondence from Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy …
23 Mar 2022 — Correspondence from the Chair to Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Secretary of State for Busi…