TAMPA, Fla. — A cross-party parliamentary committee has issued a warning, stating that the United Kingdom needs to act quickly to turn its ambitions into reality, following a shortfall in achieving the vision set out three years ago to become a significant global space power. On November 3rd, the committee of the House of Lords published a report emphasizing the inconsistent advancements since the British government unveiled its 2021 National Space Strategy.
“Space is transforming the world, and our report found much to be positive about,” said Baroness Ashton, committee chair, in a statement. “Britain should play a role in leading that transformation or risk being left behind.”
The report, ‘The Space Economy: Act Now or Lose Out,’ highlighted some industry strengths. These include a leading position in the emerging in-orbit servicing and manufacturing sector, increasing momentum for domestic launch capabilities, and a space economy that has grown by an average of 3.3% per year since the 2009-10 financial year. It also noted the creation of a National Space Operations Centre in 2024, which will help align civil and military space situational awareness capabilities, and strong international collaborations, including contributions to NASA programs and a stake in OneWeb, the LEO broadband network of French operator Eutelsat.
However, the committee noted that the U.K. has struggled to translate policy goals into tangible results, citing a lack of clear priorities, coordination, and long-term funding. It cautioned that the country’s share of the global space economy, estimated by UK Space Agency (UKSA) chairman Lord Willetts at 5% during a March hearing, could decline without strong leadership and execution.
The report prominently addressed the increasing global reliance on SpaceX launch services and its expansive Starlink LEO broadband network. “Whilst there is no immediate indication that the UK’s access to SpaceX’s services could be compromised, future plans for UK space capabilities should reckon with the impacts of UK dependence on SpaceX and look to ensure access to diversified and/or sovereign services where possible,” the report stated. “The Government should conduct research on the potential impacts of loss of access to SpaceX services.”
The report further urged the British government to clarify its goals for sovereign launch capability, commercial opportunities for domestic launchers, and whether multiple local spaceports are necessary. While the 2021 strategy aimed to position the U.K. as a leading provider of small satellite launch services, the committee stated that market opportunities remain unclear. That national strategy also signaled a departure from the earlier ambition of capturing 10% of the global space economy by 2030.
“It would be wonderful if we were on 10% but we are working hard to keep it at about 5%,” Lord Willetts told the committee in March, pointing out that decreasing launch costs and advancements in small satellites are rapidly expanding the global market. “There are forecasts that, therefore, the global space economy could double or triple in size; it could double by 2030 and keep on going,” he added. “Even modestly, just keeping up 5% is a fantastic economic opportunity for the U.K. because it is so rapidly growing.”
The committee also raised concerns about the recent integration of UKSA into the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, suggesting it could obscure accountability and undermine the agency’s operational independence as the nation pursues sustained economic growth.
The report also pressed the government to clarify its stance on post-Brexit participation in European space programs, such as Galileo, and other multilateral initiatives that could enhance U.K. capabilities.