The British Space programme began in the same year that our late queen, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, ascended to the throne.
Sixty-three years ago, the launch of Ariel One, the first British-American satellite, made Britain only the 3rd country to launch into orbit.
In little more than a decade, we went from a nation with space ambition to one of the few countries with a satellite operation.
Then, as I was enjoying my first birthday, Prospero became the first British satellite to be launched by a British rocket.
All those years ago, deciding to have a space programme, designing, building and launching a spacecraft, took decades of planning.
Fast-forward to today:
- When, somewhere around the world, there is a rocket launching every 34 hours.
- When the UK’s space economy is outpacing the growth of our economy as a whole.
- And when, just this month, the second-ever private spacecraft touched down successfully on the surface of the moon. Powered by British engines, engineered in Buckinghamshire.
An international effort, with British expertise, contributing to a successful lunar mission.
There is no mistaking the increasing pace of change.
Or just how much the people in this room – and the businesses you lead – now contribute towards the growing the British economy.
So, to begin with, it’s my job to say thank you to all of you.
Britain’s space sector is not just safe in your hands. It is thriving under your stewardship.
And with the British economy, it’s felt increasingly, and it’s felt day by day.
This is a government that has economic growth as our number one mission.
And for us, growth isn’t just a soundbite.
It is our very purpose.
Growth rates are more than an indicator of the state of the economy…
…They are an indication of this government’s state of mind.
We are:
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ambitious for Britain
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determined to build the wealthier, fairer nation for everyone.
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And we are impatient for the increased wealth and opportunities that economic growth brings to communities, businesses and to people alike.
With 16% of UK GDP depending on satellite services, there’s no doubt that the space sector is important to that.
Because Britain has never had a space flight with our own crew on board, it is too easy for some ‘armchair astronauts’ to dismiss the UK space programme.
I believe we are approaching a space tipping point. At which it becomes simply impossible for even the most determined science-cynic to ignore.
From how we message family and friends or check the weather, to how our country protects itself from climate change and national security threats that we increasingly face – space technologies simply underpin our lives.
From the everyday, right through to the extraordinary.
As heavy launches into low orbit become less costly – 95% cheaper than 40 years ago – and the barriers to entry are more easily overcome, the space tipping point now brings with it new risks that we have to face up to:
- Hundreds of millions of pieces of space junk that threaten the satellites that support almost every part of our interconnected world.
- As that figure rises, so does the chance of an accidental collision of catastrophic consequences.
- And at the same time, space is becoming more and more accessible to hostile actors as well, eventually, possibly seeking to do Britain harm.
The severity of these risks cannot be overstated.
But neither should we be blind to the extraordinary opportunities that space technologies offer to our country and to us.
To embed innovation in every part of our economy…
…and open the doors to a new era of high productivity and growth.
To secure our nation for the century ahead…
…and make discoveries that will transform citizens’ lives.
We reach this tipping point, and we have a narrow window to secure our stake in space.
We sometimes talk about scientific progress as if it were inevitable.
But there is nothing inevitable about progress as every one of you knows well.
If we and our allies stand still, whilst our competitors stride ahead – or hostile actors get a foot in the door – we will find ourselves locked out of the opportunities space can bring.
And left exposed further to the risks.
That’s why space is a strategic priority for this Labour government as we deliver our Plan for Change.
That requires strategic partnerships with our allies in Europe and around the globe, and between the public and the private sectors.
And it also means being clear about the roles and responsibilities of each.
There are some activities – like national security – which only governments can and should do.
Others, where the creativity, the ingenuity and the enterprise of the private sector will suffice.
And then there is a third way, where the power of partnership of governments and enterprise is the route to discovery, prosperity and to greater growth as well.
Since we took office in July, I’ve met many of the players behind Britain’s burgeoning space economy.
Businesses like Astroscale and ClearSpace, designing new missions to remove dangerous space clutter from orbit.
And Space Forge, who are finding ways to manufacture semiconductors in microgravity.
The success of businesses like these depends on world-leading research and an ambitious, entrepreneurial mindset.
The UK is well placed to lead in both.
These businesses also need a government that understands and appreciates their potential, has their back, and gives them the foundations to keep pushing the frontiers forward.
Since 2015, the UK has attracted more private investment in space than any other country outside of the United States.
We cherish Britain as a beacon for innovation, investment, stability and the rule of law.
And we are determined to keep that beacon burning brightly in the increasingly competitive and uncertain international environment.
Space is one of the first 4 areas singled out for attention by the new Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO).
That Office will cut the burden of bureaucracy, freeing up your time and your resources to invest and innovate further and faster.
Government must, always must, continue to fulfil our side of the bargain, backing British space with the support the sector needs.
That means grant funding for innovation; direct investment into strategically significant projects; and procuring from the UK firms from government contracts.
Take our £20 million investment into Orbex, to fund the first British-made, British-launched rocket, set for orbit later this year.
Prime is designed to take small satellites into the polar orbits, to improve our understanding of a region right at the frontline of climate change.
The launch will transform the UK space industry.
It will bring highly-paid jobs to the Shetland Islands, whilst boosting Europe’s ability to access space from our own continent.
The UK space sector is further bolstered by Britain’s membership of the European Space Agency.
Indeed, Britain does better because of that key partnership.
From inspiring the nation with Tim Peake’s flight to the International Space Station, to our instrumental role in the James Webb Space Telescope, our partnership with the ESA means British firms winning in this unique global marketplace.
In the last quarter of 2024, UK businesses’ net revenues from the ESA were £80 million higher than our contribution.
That’s a record for any member state.
And this success is a direct result of public and private sectors working closer together to make sure the UK sees the great return on our collective investment.
The knock-on effects of these contract wins will add up to a £1 billion of boost across our economy.
They’ll create 3,800 highly skilled jobs, from Stevenage right up to the Shetland Isles.
And they will ensure that British businesses have the power and investment to continue making discoveries that will transform people’s lives:
- Like Airbus, selected to build a spacecraft to help us weather violent solar storms.
- Thales Alenia Space, which will propel crucial cargo and scientific instruments right up to the moon’s surface.
- And Open Cosmos, granted contracts to study the magnetic field, and using what they learn to bolster our satellites and better fight climate change.
The immense contribution British businesses make to our island’s space story shows ambition, integrity, and leadership.
It is testament to these traits, alongside the determination and dedication of our people.
As we stand in this space tipping point, the government’s commitment to economic growth demands that we support science and we invest in innovation.
We also champion the critical technologies to maximise the power and potential of the British economy.
Your contribution and the commitment to our economic growth mission is profoundly important.
So, I want to finish exactly where I started:
By acknowledging your efforts and extending our appreciation for them, as you help to make Britain more productive, more prosperous, and more pioneering.
On this planet and beyond.
Thank you very much.