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The UK Space Agency, an executive agency of the Department of Business Innovation and Skills, leads UK efforts to explore and benefit from space. With a focus on growth, innovation, and collaboration, the agency is at the forefront of advancing the space industry in the UK. This overview highlights key initiatives and partnerships, including the Satellite Applications Catapult, ESA collaboration, and climate and environmental monitoring from space.
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The UK Space Agency Overview for CEOS September 2012
The UK Space Agency An executive agency of Department of Business Innovation and Skills at the heart of UK efforts to explore and benefit from space. Reporting to Minister of Universities and Science (David Willetts) UK Civil Space Strategy 2012-2016 Themes: • Growth through new opportunities; • Growth from export; • Innovation supporting growth; • Science to enable growth; • Education for growth; • Growth through smarter government Twitter feed: spacegovuk
UKSA context (EO focus) • 70% of civil space investment by UKSA and partners is channelled through ESA • 33% increase in optional ESA funding in Ministerial in 2012, mainly comms and EO • Harwell: Satellite Applications Catapult, facility for Climate and Environmental Monitoring from Space (CEMS), ESA ECSAT
Harwell and the wider UK space sector UKSA partners (TSB, research councils, MoD, Met Office, ) Satellite Applications Catapult ESA Galileo Copernicus CEMS: Centre for Environmental Monitoring from Space EU space programme ESA Business Incubator Harwell Space Cluster International Space Agencies RAL Space: Including existing facilities ESA Centre Applications Climate Change Exploration Co-located universities and industry Industry, universities and research organisations GEO and CEOS
Space Growth Action Plan Industry-led report, UK Gov will respond Target: 10% share of space economy by 2030 Climate and environmental services is 1 of 5 identified markets
UKSA co-ordination activities in area of climate services • Expert representation at • CEOS SST Virtual Constellation • CEOS/CGMS WG Clim • Secretariat funding for UK stakeholder group on “Climate Data from Space” • Industry, govt, MetO, academia, RCUK etc • Support ESA EO programmes, including Climate Change Initiative
UK stakeholder concern for WG Climate consideration • UK (and others) are investing in capacity for climate data records from space, including SST • big data facilities at Harwell, ESA CCI subscription • Loss of expertise & documentation relevant to calibration of past sensors is a danger to the ability of space-based CDRs to be credible and improvable in the long run • Space agencies including CEOS and CGMS agencies need to take active steps to digitize and curate paper-based archives of such information • Of course, some action is taking place already, but is it sufficient and is it co-ordinated?
UKSA EO Team: Ruth Boumphrey, Maria Adams, Alice Bunn, Beth Greenaway, Elizabeth Seaman, Tracey Whitbread