Asked by: Lord Cromwell (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in regards to the Active Debris Removal programme, in line with their National Space Strategy; and what assessment they have made, if any, of the benefits it will bring to the UK.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Space sustainability activity aims to maintain the space environment, which benefits the UK through continued freedom of access to space services and the environmental and economic benefits space applications provide. The Government is taking forward the actions set out in the Plan for Space Sustainability launched last year. The Government has developed a national satellite monitoring service, is working with industry and academia on an industry-led Space Sustainability Standards initiative, and hosted ministerial roundtables to further our sustainability aims. The Government has also secured funding of both national and ESA Active Debris Removal programmes, which will demonstrate our world leading capabilities, positioning the UK at the forefront of the emerging life extension and debris removal markets.
Asked by: Lord Cromwell (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of the value of the space sustainability sector to the UK economy.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Space sustainability activity aims to maintain the space environment, which benefits the UK through continued freedom of access to space services and the environmental and economic benefits space applications provide. The Government is taking forward the actions set out in the Plan for Space Sustainability launched last year. The Government has developed a national satellite monitoring service, is working with industry and academia on an industry-led Space Sustainability Standards initiative, and hosted ministerial roundtables to further our sustainability aims. The Government has also secured funding of both national and ESA Active Debris Removal programmes, which will demonstrate our world leading capabilities, positioning the UK at the forefront of the emerging life extension and debris removal markets.
Asked by: Lord Cromwell (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the growth of the UK space industry across the UK.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The National Space Strategy sets out an ambitious vision for the future of the UK as a space nation, and to make the UK one of the most attractive countries for space businesses of all sizes to grow and thrive.
The strategy describes high level structures and frameworks to guide its implementation, and Government has now committed to developing a joint civil-defence Space Sector Plan in 2023 building on the National Space Strategy, the Defence Space Strategy, and the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy. The publication will communicate where and how Government will work to strengthen and mature its relationship with the space sector across the UK, and will prioritise interventions across government to help facilitate the sector’s growth and resilience. The publication will also increase future planning confidence in the sector by providing a clear demand signal for Government’s strategic capability needs from space, and intentions for pursuing them.
Asked by: Lord Cromwell (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to engage with the concerns of NASA and scientists around the world regarding the increasing risk posed by space junk.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is taking action to deliver on the Plan for Space Sustainability announced last year to help ensure a safe, secure, and sustainable space environment. This includes plans for regulatory reform, supporting the development of an industry-led Space Sustainability Mark, and building sustainable capabilities in the UK including Active Debris Removal and In-Orbit Servicing and Manufacturing missions. The Government engages extensively in international and scientific fora such as the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, and the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee to tackle the issue of the increasingly contested and congested space environment.