Following a public consultation on the funding and management of UK civil space activities and recommendations in the Space Innovation and Growth Strategy report, the UK Space Agency was officially launched on 23 March 2010.
The UK Space Agency will oversee future space activities and provide a stronger and more coherent approach to Government funding and management of space.
The UK Space Agency will take over responsibility for policy and key Government budgets for space. This will start with the European Space Agency (ESA) subscriptions currently funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), and management of major EU space based projects. The UK Space Agency will also take responsibility for Research Council and TSB funding of space technology and instrumentation.
Crucially the UK Space Agency will negotiate on the UK’s behalf on international bodies such as the European Space Agency.
Following the launch of the UK Space Agency a transition team is working to define the shape, structure and remit of the new executive agency. The agency will begin operating as a full executive agency in April 2011.
For any queries relating to the transition plans, please contact:
