WASHINGTON — The United Kingdom today published a new 2027-2035 national space strategy centered on “defence, national security and economic growth,” accompanied by an interagency spending plan totaling “more than” £7.8 billion ($10.6 billion) through 2030.
The new strategy is putting top priority “for faster development” on four key space “subsectors:” satellite communications, space domain awareness, in-orbit servicing assembly and manufacturing (ISAM) and access to space — i.e., UK-based space launch.
These “have been selected for their growth potential, contribution to the wider economy, alignment with national security and defence priorities, and importance to building a more competitive and strategically focused sector,” the strategy explains.
The plan does not provide a total, nor all the details, of investment by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). However, the strategy and its accompanying technical annex [PDF] highlight several major development efforts, including:
space domain awareness capabilities that are “nationally separable” from ongoing joint programs with allies;
