The UK space industry will benefit from a £92 million investment to create an alternative to the EU’s Galileo satellite navigation system. This investment is designed to ensure UK security post Brexit.
What is the Government investing in?
The UK Government has announced that it will invest £92 million of the £3 billion Brexit readiness fund to create an independent UK satellite navigation system if the UK is excluded from the Galileo system post Brexit. Galileo – which is due to be launched in 2020 – is a European satellite navigation system, designed to be an alternative to the US-based GPS system. It will have civil and military variants and requires 24 satellites to be operational.
An 18-month planning process will commence in the coming months to plan the design and development of the UK programme.
Business Secretary Greg Clark said:
“Britain is a world leader in the space industry and satellites. We are investing in an alternative option to Galileo to ensure our future security needs are met using the UK’s world-leading space sector.”
Security threat
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson hinted that the space sector is transforming:
“The danger space poses as a new front for warfare is one of my personal priorities, and it is absolutely right that we waste no time in going it alone if we need an independent satellite system to combat those emerging threats. This alternative system and the UK’s very first Defence Space Strategy, which I will launch later this year, will be a further boost to military skills, our innovative businesses and our genuinely world-leading role which has seen us make such a key contribution to Galileo.”
Growing aerospace sector
At the end of August, the European Space Agency’s (ESA) revolutionary British-built wind measuring spacecraft Aeolus was launched. This led Mr Clark to say:
“Britain has the skills, expertise and commitment to create our own sovereign satellite system and I am determined that we take full advantage of the opportunities this brings, backed by our modern Industrial Strategy.”
Winning aerospace tenders
With this huge investment into the UK space industry, there has never been a better time to explore the aerospace contracts available to your business.
If you would like more information on tendering for aerospace tenders, request a demo with a DCI defence expert.
