Reconnecting 1972

I’ve always wondered why we’ve not been back to the moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. A mixture of astronomical costs – in every sense of the word - and ebbing of the Cold War no doubt played a large part in dulling this ambition. The result today is a generation of people for whom space means little more than a decaying space station, a powerful telescope and Battlestar Galactica (if their inner geek will admit it). But the reality is that there’s a lot more going on high above our heads than just floating unshaved cosmonauts and buzz-cutted yanks, and today’s launch of the new Space Innovation and Growth Team (IGT) aims to get the UK excited about space again.

Space technologies have a bigger impact on our lives than we might think and they are playing an increasingly important role in delivering public and private sector priorities. Global communications, both military and civilian, rely on a network of satellites and ground support equipment to deliver data. We are seeing an increase in the number of people living in rural areas taking advantage of satellite broadband services, indeed a leading British company is preparing to launch a new satellite to keep up with the demand. And the value of space technologies to essential climate monitoring need not be stressed.

Space also has enormous potential to deliver government priorities in the areas of transport, healthcare, climate change, creative industries, security and the recently announced universal broadband service commitment. Space IGT should provide a strategy to guide government’s adoption of space technologies in these areas.   

The UK already leads the world in satellite manufacturing and space applications. The space sector is worth around £7 billion to the economy and employs nearly 70,000 people. It is a rapidly growing global market worth £250 billion in 2008 and is set to double in value by 2015. Keeping our seat at this lucrative table means jobs and growth for the UK and this should clearly be a top priority for both government and industry. This work  begins now for the Space IGT and conveying some of that old space race excitement and education to the public will play an important part in this journey.

By Daniel Smyth, Press and Public Affairs Executive.