Programme

As the space industry grows, the demand for innovative and sustainable solutions in orbit is increasingly critical. 

With over 10,000 active satellites in orbit, thousands more planned for launch, and growing concerns over space debris, the challenge of monitoring and managing Earth’s orbital environment has never been more critical. At the forefront of this challenge is Space Domain Awareness (SDA): the ability to detect, track, and predict the behaviour of objects in space, including operational satellites, defunct spacecraft, and orbital debris, as well as potential threats to space assets. 

As the space sector develops, we’re starting to see an increased demand for sustainable solutions in orbit; and subsequently, innovative methods of putting them into action. In-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) offers a transformative approach to the way we manage, build, and sustain space operations. By extending the lifespan of satellites, enabling modular assembly of large structures, and fostering a circular economy in orbit, ISAM has the potential to revolutionise space infrastructure while reducing costs and mitigating debris.

Space data plays a crucial role in driving economic growth, supporting public services, and addressing global challenges such as climate change, disaster response, and infrastructure resilience. However, despite the UK’s increasing investment in Earth observation (EO) and satellite data capabilities, significant barriers remain in making this data more accessible, usable, and commercially viable.

The satellite communications industry is in turmoil. Market shifts with new entrants (LEO and terrestrial) have pushed existing space players to consolidate or form new partnerships, and raw throughput offering is no longer the sole metric guaranteeing success in the commercial market. In more exclusive markets such as milsatcom or emergency communications, lowered cost of leasing from commercial services in low earth orbit makes guaranteed service look expensive and outdated. Commercial war is ongoing and affecting the whole industry, from procurement of satellites, to frequency ressources allocation and regulations on power emission and interferences between operators and their services. Direct to device is no longer a dream, but a reality, and the pulse of industry has never been so regularly fast.

Sovereignty as a concept tied to outer space has been present since the quest by states to explore outer space. Sovereignty within outer space does not go unchecked. The Outer Space Treaty states that outer space is not open to national appropriation through sovereignty. Additionally, states are responsible for the actions of other actors in outer space. 

There is a renewed interest from states to improve their capacity in space, in the space industrial plan the UK sets out its aim to become a leader in outer space as a whole. However, being a leader in all space sectors is unlikely to be sustainable.