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The law will enable the launch of satellites from the UK for the first time, horizontally launched flights to the edge of space for scientific experiments, and the establishment of spaceports.
Although the UK is a world leader in satellite technology, businesses currently have to rely on launch services in other countries, and often have to share launch vehicles, which can lead to delays and restrictions on where satellites can go.
Science minister Jo Johnson said: “With the spaceflight bill we will cement the UK’s position as a world leader in this emerging market, giving us an opportunity to build on existing strengths in innovation. Through our industrial strategy we will harness this potential, creating an environment where companies will thrive.”
The bill builds on £10 million of grant funding announced by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in February.
Steve Bates, chief executive of the BioIndustry Association, said: “This will help support the UK’s strong science base in areas such as genomics where we already have a lead, with Oxford Nanopore’s Minion being used to sequence DNA on the International Space Station last year. It is vital that the UK continues to look at innovative ways to advance life science research and development, and translates this into benefits for patients.”
In addition, Cranfield University is leading, in partnership with other groups, the development of miniaturised bioscience payloads for orbital satellites and potentially sub-orbital spaceplanes to allow the efficient microgravity study of biological systems including human cell cultures.
Cranfield’s Professor David Cullen told PE that any opportunities to increase access to space will help to pursue improved understanding of biological processes related to diseases, and the issues facing long space flights.
The bill will be introduced later this year, after which rules will be developed for operators.