Insider Brief:
- The UK Space Agency has announced a new office in Cardiff, Wales.
- Wales already contributes £79 million annually to the space sector and employs over 600 individuals.
- The agency’s new structure is expected to capitalize on growth areas such as Earth observation and satellite broadband, while also pioneering emerging markets like spacecraft servicing and space debris removal.
- Image credit: UK Government
The UK Space Agency is expanding its presence by opening an office in Cardiff, Wales in an effort to support the growing space industry in the region.
With Wales already contributing £79 million annually to the space sector and employing over 600 individuals, the addition of the Cardiff office aims to foster collaboration and enhance regional skills and job prospects. This move comes alongside the establishment of offices in Edinburgh and Leicester, as well as new headquarters in Oxfordshire’s Harwell Space Cluster.
Dr. Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency, discussed the importance of embedding the agency within the area to facilitate talent recruitment and drive the National Space Strategy forward. Wales, with its rich heritage in aerospace and manufacturing, is poised to benefit from this initiative, having already seen support for local space companies like Space Forge, the builder of Wales’s first satellite.
Welsh Secretary David TC Davies welcomed the agency’s presence in Cardiff, acknowledging the UK government’s investments in Welsh space companies and research programs. John Whalley, CEO of Space Wales, described the Cardiff office as a transformative opportunity for the Welsh space sector, amplifying successes and fostering partnerships with the UK Space Agency.
The agency’s new structure is expected to capitalize on growth areas such as Earth observation and satellite broadband, while also pioneering emerging markets like spacecraft servicing and space debris removal. This move contributes to the government’s commitment to supporting space clusters across the UK and driving collaboration to stimulate further investment.
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