TO BE PUBLISHED June 2026
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Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
This conference will focus on the next phase of development for the UK space industry.
It will bring 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 looks at how strategic ambitions might be translated into practical delivery, investment and routes to commercial scale.
Delegates will examine latest thinking and discuss priorities for a more coordinated 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 will also consider 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 DSIT. Areas for discussion include priorities and delivery questions arising for institutional arrangements, programme coordination and support for UK firms seeking to scale up.
Delivery frameworks, sector capability & coordination
Delegates will discuss 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 will consider priorities for preparation and structuring of new institutional arrangements, and for coordination of strategy, policy and advancing key programmes. Options for programme organisation and frameworks for governance and accountability will be 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 will examine 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 will consider 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 will also look 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 include 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 will be 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 will be 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 will consider 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 will also be discussed, particularly around space sustainability and debris.
Alongside support for commercial opportunity, we also expect a focus on safeguarding national security, looking at approaches to cybersecurity resilience and space domain awareness, responding to congestion, debris and operational risk.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those already due to attend include officials from the Department for Transport; Government Legal Department; and UK Space Agency.
