Sprexit: What Does Leaving the EU Mean for

Britain’s Place in Space?

Thomas CheneyPhD Candidate

Sunderland Universitythomas.cheney@research.sunderland.ac.uk

Some Background

• We used to have a space programme...

Some Background

• And we co-operated with Europe on Europa

• And were members of ELDO and ESRO (precursors to ESA)

• We cancelled our rocket programme and left the French to surge ahead (hence Ariane)

The UK Space Industry

• UK space industry worth over £10 billion

• Growth rate of 8.6% p.a. since 2010

• Employs 37,000+

• Space applications dominate (BskyB et al)

• Strong but small manufacturing sector

• Very strong in small satellites

Innovation and Growth Strategy

• UK government has set target growing UK space industry to £40 billion p.a. by 2030

• Assessed as ambitious but feasible by London Economics' in The Case for Space

• Threatened by Brexit

European Space Agency

• Independent intergovernmental agency

• Not part of EU

• Brexit will not impact ESA membership

• ESA has own form of ‘free movement’

• And ‘free movement of goods’

• Only for direct employees and official purposes

European Union

• Biggest negative impact

• Key to IGS targets is to grow exports

• Europe largest market, second fastest growth

• US effectively closed to foreigners

• Access to European markets is vital

Galileo

• EU Global Navigation System

• Navigation target growth sector under IGS

• Broadcasting dominates but is ‘tapped out’

• Galileo estimated to be worth 6-9 billion pounds over next 20 years for UK economy

• PRS key provision

• UK access now at risk

Other Risks

• R&D funding

• University funding

• Free movement of Workers

– 1/3 of staff come from overseas

– UK will need 100,000 new staff to hit IGS target

– European space industry highly international

• Public Sector Procurement

EU Space Policy

• Article 189 TFEU give EU competency

• EU taking increasing role

• IGS goal was to steer EU policy to UK’s favour

• EU programmes “have real synergy with UK national interests” – Civil Space Strategy

• Britain has led EU space policy debates

• Influence will diminish if not cease

UK Spaceport

• EASA and airspace access

• Both main candidates receive EU funding

• No change re Schengen