According to the government, it will be “cutting duplication, reducing bureaucracy, and putting public accountability at the heart of decision-making”. The UKSA currently operates as an executive agency of DSIT and its headquarters are at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus.
The new unit will, however, keep the UK Space Agency name and brand and will have personnel from both organisations.
The government statement says:
“In a major step to boost support for the UK’s space sector, the change will bring together the people who shape space policy and those who deliver it. This will cut any duplication that exists and ensure decisions are made with clear ministerial oversight.”
Plan for Change
The wider context is the government’s “Plan for Change”. This involves committing to cut red tape and make Whitehall more efficient. NHS England, which it describes as the largest quango in the world, is going as part of this same process.
“You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to see the importance of space to the British economy,” said Space Minister, Sir Chris Bryant. “This is a sector that pulls investment into the UK, and supports tens of thousands of skilled jobs right across the country, while nearly a fifth of our GDP is dependent on satellites. The aims for growth and security at the heart of our Plan for Change can’t be met without a vibrant space sector.”
“Bringing things in house means we can bring much greater integration and focus to everything we are doing while maintaining the scientific expertise and the immense ambition of the sector.”
Golden thread
For his part, the current UK Space Agency CEO, Dr Paul Bate, supports having a single unit.
“I strongly welcome this improved approach to achieving the government’s space ambitions,” he said. “Having a single unit with a golden thread through strategy, policy and delivery will make it faster and easier to translate the nation’s space goals into reality.”
“In coming together, the UK Space Agency and space policy colleagues are building on the firm foundations of economic growth and capability development laid in recent years, including cutting-edge missions, major national programmes, and the regulations that enable UK launch and leadership in space sustainability.”
The UK Space Agency agency dates from 2010, replacing the British National Space Centre. It is responsible for the country’s civil space programme.
In 2024/2025 for example, it oversaw investment and revenue of £2.2 billion for the UK space sector.
The government will announce further details on the merger in due course, it says.
See also: UK Space Agency funds public services using satellite data
