Space Industry Bill introduced to House of Lords
The Space Industry Bill updates the Draft Spaceflight Bill published in February 2017 by taking into account stakeholder feedback and scrutiny by the Commons Science & Technology Committee. A response to this review was published on 22/06/2017.
The purpose of the Space Industry Bill is to boost the economy, British business, engineering and science by making the UK the most attractive place in Europe for commercial spaceflight. The main elements of the Bill are:
- New powers to license a wide range of spaceflight activities, including vertically-launched rockets, spaceplanes, satellite operation, spaceports and other technologies.
- A comprehensive and proportionate regulatory framework to manage risk, ensuring that commercial spaceflight in the UK remains safe.
- Measures to regulate unauthorised access and interference with spacecraft, spaceports and associated infrastructure, drawing on the UK’s extensive expertise – particularly in aviation security.
- Measures to promote public safety by providing a regulatory framework to cover operational insurance, indemnity and liability.
The emerging markets for small satellite launch and sub-orbital flight are forecast to be worth over £25bn globally over the next 20 years. They offer exciting opportunities to grow our space sector, create local jobs and inspire the next generation of British scientists and engineers.
This legislation will ensure the UK can take advantage of these new markets, overcome dependence on foreign launch services and benefit from the development of new spaceports and supply chains.
The Bill will be of great Bill benefit, as entrepreneurs and UK industry would have new opportunities to build innovative commercial enterprises and develop the technologies that will take us into a new spaceflight era, UK-launched satellites would generate data and services to connect and inform our modern economy and spaceport sites would be hubs for new local jobs and business, including in construction, engineering and technology.
in addition, the UK science sector would have more opportunities to access the unique environment of space to conduct cutting edge research. British scientists will have direct local access to sub-orbital flights for their work and young people would be inspired to seek careers in science, technology, engineering and maths to participate in an expanding UK spaceflight industry.
Introduction of the Bill is a major milestone for the UK’s spaceflight ambitions. It is a crucial step towards the creation of an enabling regulatory framework, which is essential for companies to launch small satellites and operate sub-orbital spaceflights from UK spaceports. With this Bill, the Government is sending a clear signal to entrepreneurs, investors, scientists and engineers that the UK is committed to becoming the most attractive destination in Europe to participate in commercial spaceflight and set up a space business.
Over the next year the Bill will be scrutinised by Peers and MPs, and must be approved in the same form by both Houses before becoming an Act of Parliament (law). Following today’s introduction and first reading, the next stage in the process is second reading, which is the first opportunity for members of the House of Lords to debate the key principles and main purpose of a bill and to flag up any concerns or specific areas where they think changes are needed.
An explanation of the passage of a Bill through parliament can be found here: www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/lords
For further information on Government activities vis-a-is commercial spaceflight: www.gov.uk/government/collections/commercial-spaceflight
If interested in hosting a stakeholder event or visit related to the Space Industry Bill, email: satellitelaunchprogramme@ukspaceagency.bis.gsi.gov.uk
