Brexit could hinder Britain's space technology capabilities, warn experts

Brexit is already damaging Britain's space technology abilities - despite involvement with new satellite

Space industry experts have warned that Britain's departure from the European Union could damage the development of space technology in the UK.

The warning came as the much-anticipated Eutelsat Quantum satellite was unveiled at an Airbus cleanroom facility in Portsmouth.

The satellite, which will be used for commercial purposes by government, mobility and data markets, was created by the European Space Agency.

While ESA is separate and independent from the European Union, its research institute, the European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications, is based in Harwell in Oxfordshire.

Over the next few months in the negotiations, but we have said that we want to look forward to continued cooperation in science, research and technology, including space

The EU also provides more than €1.3 billion in annual funding to the ESA - one-quarter of its €5.25 billion budget, and €1 billion more than the UK provides.

The ESA's work, and developments such as the Eutelsat Quantum satellite, also require high-tech parts from across Europe, said British astronaut Tim Peake, who was among the audience in Portsmouth this week.

Speaking to AFP, Peake said: "The thing about space is that in order to succeed and achieve, really, you have to be part of international partnerships and cooperation."

While Britain plays an important role in the organisation, many are concerned that Brexit could have an impact on its involvement.

Graham Turnock, chief executive of the UK Space Agency, played down these worries, though. He claimed that the UK will continue to support ESA, even after it has left the EU.

"A lot will depend on what happens over the next few months in the negotiations, but we have said that we want to look forward to continued cooperation in science, research and technology, including space," he said.

Last week, Prime Minister Theresa May said the government will continue to plough money into various EU-led programmes during its transitional period as it leaves the EU. But this transition is expected to end on 31 December 2020 at the latest.

"We will continue to participate in programmes... and that includes space," she said. "But we will also be discussing with the EU how we can build on our successful co-operation on space as the negotiations proceed."

Many of the (ESA) contracts, including Galileo, are EU funded and it is a requirement that the companies who participate and get funding and bid for contracts are part of an EU country

Despite Turnock's optimism Brexit has already had an impact on EU space-policy decision making. In January, EU commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska announced plans to shift the back-up site of the EU's Galileo Navigation System to Spain.

Galileo is a €5 billion EU initiative to create a rival to the US-led Global Positioning System (GPS), which would be open to civilian use worldwide.

Simon Henley, president of the Royal Aeronautical Society, has also voiced his concerns. Last November, he said the UK is already losing out on business opportunities in the sector.

"Many of the (ESA) contracts, including Galileo, are EU funded and it is a requirement that the companies who participate and get funding and bid for contracts are part of an EU country," he said.

"We are already seeing contracts being turned away from UK industry because of the uncertainty."

Peake added: "As part of the (Brexit) negotiations there are some programmes that are going to be very carefully negotiated, two in particular are Galileo and Copernicus, which the UK is heavily involved in and hopefully will continue to be so."

Copernicus is the world's largest single Earth-observation programme and is directed by the European Commission, while the European Union provides about two-thirds of the funding and ESA the rest.