The meeting on Monday 3 March at the Houses of Parliament will be broadcast live and on demand on Parliament TV, and livestreamed on X. Topics likely to be raised by Committee members include: the public perception of the need for investment in space; the UK government’s approach to space; the UK’s comparative advantages in space, and key emerging opportunities; the UK’s commercial space sector, and the benefits and challenges of the sector for the UK economy; the value of universities to UK space science and the UK’s commercial space sector; the value of international partnerships in the space sector
Baroness Ashton, chair of the cross-party House of Lords UK Engagement with Space Committee, said: “There has never been a more interesting, and potentially rewarding, time to explore the potential of space to the UK, its people and our economy.
The UK was a leader in pioneering space technology. We were the third country in the world to launch our own satellite into space, and the growth of satellites for telecommunications has been aided by British space capability. “On a fundamental level, space is inspiring, taking us up to and beyond what we thought was humanly possible. It touches every area of our lives from healthcare to new technologies and industries. Space-based assets are vital for defence. Its exploration offers access to untold valuable resources.
“Crucially, it is also essential to the functioning of the UK economy. People relying on GPS for navigation, scientists who monitor weather systems, pollution and climate change, and farmers who use self-drive machinery, are just some of the daily users of satellite technology in the UK. The space sector is worth an estimated £18.9 billion to the UK economy and is expected to grow significantly in coming years. It employs more than 50,000 people. We have one of the most innovative space sectors in the world, and fantastic UK talent, and the Committee wants to hear how we might reap the rewards for the UK for generations to come.”
Over the course of its inquiry, the Committee will hear from experts, industry professionals and academics. It will soon be issuing a call for evidence, with interested individuals and organisations invited to submit written evidence. The Committee aims to report to Government later this year. Future witnesses are expected to include the UK Space Agency, and Colonel Chris Hadfield, the Canadian astronaut who served as a commander of the International Space Station (ISS). Chris Hadfield has already addressed the Committee as part of its preliminary private hearings.
Brian Cox is Professor of Particle Physics at the University of Manchester and The Royal Society Professor for Public Engagement in Science. He is widely known to the public for his documentary work on BBC television and received an OBE for services to science in 2010, the President’s Medal from the Institute of Physics in 2012 and the Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize in 2012.
