ESA announces budget rise
Following the announcement of funding allocations made by the European Space Agency (ESA) Council yesterday, ADS and UKspace issued a joint statement.
The decisions saw the ESA budget rise by 17%, with UK programmes allocated just under 1.9 billion euros, around 11% of the total.
Three UK astronauts were also unveiled, para-athlete John McFall, the first British female ESA astronaut Rosemary Coogan, and reserve astronaut Meganne Christian.
ADS Chief Executive Kevin Craven and UKspace Chair John Hanley said:
"The Government’s support for space recognises the roles that space can play in helping us to better understand our planet, growing and levelling up our economy, ensuring our security and delivering the essential services that every one of us relies upon on a daily basis. This investment in ESA shows a continued commitment to invest in the essential R&D which is the foundation of every successful space-faring nation.
"The Government team has achieved an excellent deal for the Space sector in the UK at CMIN22 as we recognise that difficult fiscal choices are having to be made across the economy with research showing that over time, every pound invested in ESA generates a return to the UK economy of £10.
"We look forward to working in partnership with Government to leverage these valuable R&D investments and develop the operational capabilities we need and unlock our potential to be a key partner in space on the global stage."