The Space Innovation and Growth Strategy 2013: Accelerating Space Enabled Growth Consultation was published last week. This incorporates most of the regulatory recommendations resulting from the Theme 6 (Regulation) IGS Restack questionnaire that many of you kindly responded to.
On 10 February 2010, the Space Innovation and Growth Strategy (IGS) was published. The IGS outlined a 20 year vision for the future growth of the UK space sector and contained 16 recommendations aimed at sustaining the high level of growth in this area.
In 2013, industry and the UK Space Agency launched a “Restack” of the strategy with the aim of refreshing the recommendations substantially to ensure continued and sustainable growth. As part of the Space IGS Restack strategy nine themes were identified. CMS led the work on Theme 6, covering regulation and co-led Theme 5, along with Avanti plc, covering investment and finance. As part of the work on Theme 6, CMS ran an informal consultation, the results of which formed a series of recommendations highlighting key regulatory changes required. The recommendations from the Theme 6 questionnaire can be found here.
The initial findings and recommendations from the Restack were announced by Andy Green at the UK Space Conference in Glasgow in July 2013. Overall, these initial findings identified a need to accelerate investment in space infrastructure, services and applications that would engage with the broader economy and drive economic growth.
The findings from the Restack work form the Accelerating Space Enabled Growth Consultation Report, which was recently published. The Report outlines seven headline themes, and identifies many more specific actions to contribute to growth.
The IGS team is now consulting on these actions before finalising the Report. A structured online response form (click here) and a series of consultation workshops throughout the UK are taking place. Click here for a full list of events which is available from the UK Space Agency website.
The consultation process will close on 14 October 2013. The final Report is expected to be published on 14 November 2013.
