UK Space Agency
Space is an essential part of all our lives and one of the key enablers of the global economy. Space has revolutionised telecommunications, climate and weather forecasting, information sharing, commerce, security, banking, navigation and TV broadcasting. The UK space sector is thriving, Britain currently has a 6% share of the global space market and is second only to the USA in space science. The UK Space Agency is at the heart of UK efforts to explore space and support their space scientists and space industry. The UK Space Agency is responsible for all strategic decisions on the UK civil space programme and provides a clear, single voice for UK space ambitions.
The UK Space Agency will also have a mechanism for interfacing with other departments on security and military programmes. Although it will not manage these programmes directly, the UK Space Agency will be kept informed and involved in decisions relating to the programmes as necessary. Collaboration lies at the heart of the UK Space Agency ethos and applies across Government as well as to external organisations including European and global partners such as the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Union, national space agencies and the United Nations. The UK Space Agency was officially launched on 23 March 2010. Following the launch a transition team is working to define the shape of the new UK Space Agency.
For more information, please visit http://www.ukspaceagency.bis.gov.uk