June 2026
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This conference focused on the next phase of development for the UK space industry.
It brought together key stakeholders and policymakers to discuss next steps for policy, regulation and sector development, with space identified as a priority frontier sector in the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan.
Ahead of the forthcoming Plan for Space expected later this year - and in the context of the Government response to the House of Lords UK Engagement with Space Committee’s report The Space Economy: Act Now or Lose Out - the agenda looked at how strategic ambitions might be translated into practical delivery, investment and routes to commercial scale.
Delegates examined latest thinking and discussed priorities for a more co-ordinated approach to delivery - across government, industry, research and higher education, and investors - including capability development and funding, as well as how the UK might balance openness and international collaboration with development of sovereign capability.
The conference also considered priorities set out in the UK Space Agency’s Corporate Plan 2025-26 and the way forward for its aims for targeted capability development, commercialisation and investment, as the agency is integrated into the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. Areas for discussion included priorities and delivery questions arising for institutional arrangements, programme co-ordination and support for UK firms seeking to scale up.
Delivery frameworks, sector capability & co-ordination
Delegates discussed the role of public procurement, regulatory frameworks and mission-led initiatives in supporting industrial capability and commercial development - and how they might better support scale-up across the sector moving forward.
They considered priorities for preparation and structuring of new institutional arrangements, and for co-ordination of strategy, policy and advancing key programmes. Options for programme organisation and frameworks for governance and accountability were assessed, as well as what more may be needed to ensure that policy and stakeholder priorities translate into sustained activity, investment and commercial opportunity.
Innovation, commercialisation & supply chains
Further discussion examined the interaction of space policy with wider economic and national priorities - including advanced manufacturing, clean energy and digital infrastructure, as well as alignment of civil, defence and economic growth objectives - and how the sector might derive practical advantage from its positioning within these strategic areas.
Delegates considered potential implications for industrialisation and scale-up - across areas of key capabilities such as satellite manufacturing and communications, launch capability, in-orbit servicing and downstream applications, as well as Earth observation, positioning, navigation and timing - with further discussion on addressing access to growth finance and tackling barriers to scaling up.
The conference also looked at what policy frameworks, infrastructure investment and market development may be required to support firms moving from research and development to sustained commercial activity. Areas for discussion included strategic priorities for space within the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan, priorities and benchmarks for the sector towards 2030, and translating frontier sector status into practical outcomes for investment, capability and growth.
Immediate practical requirements for growth were considered, as well as longer-term priorities for developing commercial capability across the sector, supporting dual-use capability development, strengthening supply chain resilience, and expanding commercial markets and export potential.
UK competitiveness, international partnerships, strategic capabilities & security
Priorities for strengthening the UK’s position as a space economy in a rapidly evolving and increasingly competitive global market were discussed - drawing on strategic analysis from the Geostrategy Council and recent industry feedback - looking at what is needed moving forward in developing resilient supply chains, strengthening domestic capability, and longer-term national interests.
Attendees considered areas of uncertainty for industry, government and research partners, including how international partnerships and domestic capability may interact in supporting longer-term sector development. The role of standards and the UK’s position in shaping international approaches was also discussed, particularly around space sustainability and debris.
Alongside support for commercial opportunity, we also expected a focus on safeguarding national security, looking at approaches to cybersecurity resilience and space domain awareness, responding to congestion, debris and operational risk.
As well as key stakeholders those attending included parliamentary pass-holder from the House of Commons and officials from the Department for Transport; Department for Science, Innovation and Technology; Department for Transport; Government Legal Department; Ministry of Defence; UK Space Agency; Ofcom; and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
