Not yet available at either the British National Space Centre or Space Innovation and Growth Team (IGT) websites but found here at its own website, here are some choice qoutes from the latest review of the UK’s spaceflight industry, the Space IGT’s strategy report
Over the last decade, industry and Government have collectively failed to grasp the opportunities we identify in this report. Space in the UK has been characterised by review after review allowing other countries to steal a march on us. This must now cease and be replaced by positive and practical actions. We must make up our minds where we want to go and where we want to be in 20 years time.
Moreover, UK dependence on ESA for preparatory and development programmes has resulted in some areas of UK technology development becoming eroded to the point that they are no longer industrially sustainable.
By delaying entry to programmes and funding in an ad-hoc manner, the UK has lost both the best industrial work and the ability to influence programmes to best meet national needs. Examples include Galileo and the Global Monitoring Environment and Security programmes.
The UK’s share of the world Space market in 2007 was around 6%. This substantial figure is about twice the size of many other major UK industrial sectors, but less than that of our leading industries. However, if we take a positive decision to go for growth, we can raise
the market share significantly. But, if we fail to step up our efforts there is a strong likelihood that the sector will slide back to around the 3% mark.
