1. UK Space Agency Saleh Ahmed Assistant Director, UK Space Agency
Today, our everyday lives depend on space technology: it is woven into the economy in a way unimaginable at the dawn of the space age. But the global space scene is rapidly changing.
In response, UK civil space policy must anticipate and react to developments being driven both by the emergence of ground-breaking technologies and by the needs of society. 1

2. UK Space Agency
The UK Space Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Business,
Innovation and Skills (BIS) and is at the heart of UK efforts to explore and
benefit from space.
The UK Space Agency was launched officially on 23 March 2010 and became an
executive agency of BIS on 1 April The 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:
co-ordinates UK civil space activity;
supports academic research;
nurtures the UK space industry;
raises the profile of UK space activities at home and abroad;
works to increase understanding of space and its practical benefits; and
inspires our next generation of UK scientists and engineers.

3. An evolving UK space sector
Framework for strategic engagement with Space for Growth
Industry-led strategy to grow the sector over 20 years (‘Space IGS’) – The Space Agency
Goal to win 10% of £400B global market by 2030
Technology Strategy Board
Establishment of an ESA presence in the UK
Creation of the International Space Innovation Centre at Harwell ISIC
Satellite Applications Catapult Centre
National Centre for Earth Observation NCEO
Change is happening, and recent developments are dramatic.
The publication of the Space Innovation and Growth Strategy, the establishment of the International Space Innovation Centre and the presence of a European Space Agency facility at the Harwell Space Cluster are all part of the dynamic, new environment in which the UK space sector can flourish.
The creation of the UK Space Agency allows the UK to embrace these changes and take full advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead.
The UK Space Agency provides the right government structure to respond to this new environment I’ve been talking about .
The key point is the integration of UK civil space activities from basic science, through technology development and on to applications.
If size of budget is a sign of strength, then the Agency is about one hundred times more powerful than BNSC was in its last incarnation. (Agency budget ~ £240M) 3

4. Growth: the key to the UK Space sector
9% growth per annum for a decade
Source: The Size and Health of the UK Space Industry’ (November 2010), Oxford Economics

5. Global space economy forecast to be $375 billion per annum by 2019
Source: Andrew Davies, Sunwynd Ltd, for IGS Mid Life Update Summer 2011

6. Purpose of UK Space Agency
Ensures that the UK retains and grows a strategic space capability in:
manufacturing & systems
services
technologies
applications
science
Acts to sustain the:
economic growth
scientific excellence
societal benefits
of the UK civil space sector.
The creation of the Agency reflects a strategic decision by government to facilitate the growth of the UK space sector.
The new Agency is placing economic growth at the centre of its strategy and this goal permeates all aspects of its programmes.
Consequently, we hope that the impact of the Agency’s work will not be limited to the space sector: for example - knowledge and applications can spill-out from our work into other sectors, so acting as an engine of innovation for the wider economy.
An example is provided by the Aurora knowledge exchange projects announced at the UK Space Conference in July to stimulate the take-up of exploration technologies in novel terrestrial applications. 6

7. Policy and Programme Priorities
Telecoms and navigation
New applications for Government and business
Exploit investment in Galileo
National space policy
European space policy
Global partnerships
Technology
Education, Skills & Outreach
This chart just attempts to sum the Agency’s space policy and programme investments.
In each of these areas the Agency is investing time or money to deliver concrete outcomes - often alongside industry and with international partners.
In almost every case, you will find a defined national and/or international strategy.
Whether that is for space education and skills or broadband from space; for national space technology priorities or the global use of Earth observation for disaster mitigation and relief.
ESA exploration & science missions
robotic exploration for science , technology and inspiration
UK in a global framework
Commercial exploitation and deliver policy from EO data & analysis
Exploit Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) 7

8. The UK space scene has changed rapidly over the last three years.
[Summary] 8

9. FP 7 - 6th Call Announced in July, deadline 21 November
Linking research and innovation, bridging to Horizon 2020
€126m budget

10. 6th Call content GMES – (€59m) Climate change
Downstream service stimulation
Remote sensing methods 
Integration of satcomms and satnav with space-based observing systems

11. 6th Call Content (2) Space Foundations (€51m)
space science and exploration data exploitation
Earth-analogue research
Critical technologies for non-dependence
reducing the vulnerability of assets
Space-weather
in-orbit collisions avoidance
(3) Cross-cutting (€16m)  
“Spin-out” of space technologies
Cooperation with third countries (China, Ukraine)

12. UK Space Agency saleh.ahmed@ukspaceagency.bis.gsi.gov.uk 12