Source · Select Committees · Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
Recommendation 27
27
Accepted
Paragraph: 124
The UK’s involvement in the European Space Agency (ESA) has brought a wide range of...
Recommendation
The UK’s involvement in the European Space Agency (ESA) has brought a wide range of benefits to the UK and its space sector, but there is a need to re-address the balance between funding for ESA programmes and funding for national space programmes. The Government should not diminish its funding via ESA but should increase its investment in national space programmes; and both funding streams should reflect and focus on the objectives of the National Space Strategy as far as possible.
Government Response Summary
The government will invest up to £40m in two international programmes, focused on exploration and science, to support academic communities and research and promote international collaboration. These funds will complement the UK's investment through ESA, including academic R&D teams working on space science/exploration science missions and working with priority countries on pillar 2 of the National Space Strategy.
Paragraph Reference:
124
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Government recognises the importance of international bi- and multi-lateral agreements. In addition to the significant investment through the European Space Agency (ESA), DSIT and UKSA are working with government departments to develop two international programmes to enable up to £40m investment in suitable projects. These programmes will be focused on exploration and science to support academic communities and research, and on promoting international collaboration. While the overall investment from the UK into these programmes is £40m, the overall investment into the sector will be significantly larger due to e.g. match-funding and investment from international partners. programmes to support UK academic R&D teams to work on space science/exploration science missions with international partners. The objectives are a) to complement our existing involvement in ESA by increasing the cadence of opportunities to work on globally significant science missions with other space agencies as well, increasing robustness and vibrancy of the existing community and pulling through new teams, and b) to use science to strengthen existing international partnerships and to build new ones. In addition to the science and exploration bilateral fund, a second fund is being launched which focusses on pillar 2 of the National Space Strategy, to collaborate internationally. This fund will target opportunities to work with strategic priority countries such as the US and Australia, as well as partnerships with emerging space nations such as Singapore. This fund will leverage investments across the space sector with a focus on building stronger relationships, increasing inward investments and exports for the UK space sector, and developing capabilities in collaboration with our international partners.