New Roadmap for Pro-Growth Regulation in UK Space Sector Launched
New Roadmap for Pro-Growth Regulation in UK Space Sector Launched
Regulatory Review Published, National Space Operations Center Opened
UK Science Minister Andrew Griffith and Minister for Defense Procurement James Cartlidge recently visited RAF High Wycombe, home to UK Space Command, to officially launch the National Space Operations Center (NSpOC). They also announced a new report published by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
"The launch of the National Space Operations Center today is a further advance in our space capabilities and our commitment to keep our nation safe and secure.”
UK Space Minister Andrew Griffith.
The Space Regulatory Review establishes the key regulatory priority areas for the UK’s space sector to maintain its innovative, attractive, and competitive regulatory environment, including the importance of fostering international partnerships with spacefaring nations and incentivizing world-leading sustainable practices to protect the space environment.
Developed in collaboration with over 100 industry representatives, this new report offers a unified regulatory roadmap for the future of the UK space sector and our flourishing space economy. The report comes as Science Minister Andrew Griffith and Defense Minister Cartlidge visited UK Space Command to launch the National Space Operations Center, which brings together almost 70 civilian and military personnel to safeguard the UK against space-related threats, risks and hazards, like satellite collisions.
The launch of the NSpOC marks a significant milestone, as it fulfills a key commitment outlined in the government’s National Space Strategy, Defense Strategy, and the recently announced Space Industrial Plan, published in March 2024.
The NSpOC – jointly funded by DSIT/UK Space Agency and MoD with £20 million funding and in partnership with the Met Office – will use a global network of sensors to support space operations, with those on-site overseeing and delivering critical missions, from tracking an average of 20 to 30 objects re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere a month, to protecting the UK licensed satellites from collisions with space debris.
"As space technology advances, it becomes increasingly intertwined with our daily lives. From precise GPS navigation to highly localized weather forecasting, we rely upon space to underpin critical sectors of our economy," said Space Minister Andrew Griffith.
"The launch of the National Space Operations Center today is a further advance in our space capabilities and our commitment to keep our nation safe and secure. Space may be the ‘final frontier’, but we need to ensure sustainable access. The UK is one of the space faring nations whose pioneering efforts to track and remove hazardous space junk and well-designed space regulations have a key role to play."
"This government is working to develop and protect a robust domestic commercial space sector. Space offers incredible opportunities for our prosperity but there are also risks," said Minister for Defense Procurement James Cartlidge. "The National Space Operations Center will help to protect our national interests, supported by military personnel working in close collaboration with colleagues across government."
The report provides clarity and certainty for the UK space sector, its investors, and the global space community by focusing on three core objectives: identifying regulatory gaps and opportunities; prioritizing safety, security, and sustainability; and supporting government objectives to maintain UK leadership in modern space regulations.
The report has identified seven outcomes, that if fully implemented, would deliver the greatest impact for the UK’s space sector and wider economy:
Agility – greater, more responsive coordination across government departments and regulators.
Innovation - a dynamic framework that supports novel and emerging missions and technologies.
Growth - a progressive regulatory framework that encourages investment.
International Partnerships - a multilateral alliance of spacefaring nations with aligned frameworks and international best practice.
Safety and Sustainability - incentivising sustainable space activities, protecting the space environment and its celestial bodies.
Accessibility - a coherent suite of primary and secondary space legislations and clear published guidance.
National Interest - a civil and commercial space regulatory framework that supports UK national security.
Industry stakeholders in the UK space sector have strongly endorsed the review, emphasizing the critical importance of regulatory confidence in driving growth, innovation, and sustainability. With this support and a unified regulatory roadmap in place, the UK is poised to lead the way in safe, secure, and sustainable space operations on the global stage.