Minister for Defence and Procurement Anne-Marie Trevelyan addressed the UK Space Conference in Newport, South Wales.
Anne-Marie Trevelyan explored threats and challenges and opportunities in her speech at the Space Conference, as well as reiterating the government’s pledge to increase defence budgets. She also explored the dangers that increased space exploration can present, such as cybercrime.
The conference aims to encourage collaboration between different countries and demonstrate new space technology. Anne-Marie Trevelyan highlighted how space technology has changed and is now an integral part of everyday life.
The Minister for Defence and Procurement said: “According to the UK Space Agency and London Economics, our space industry was worth £15.5 billion in 2017/18. We build a quarter of the world’s large communications satellites.”
“And our expertise in smaller satellites is unrivalled, with the likes of Surrey Satellites, Clyde Space, and Oxford Space Systems building about 40% of the global total. As the pace of change in space technologies quickens, we must maintain and improve that global position.”
“Not only because we’ll have a stronger national economy as a result, but because it will capture the imaginations of new generations of British engineers, technicians and, who knows?, astronauts of the future. Richard Branson himself, a great British success story, is leading the incredible quest to put the first regular tourist flights into space.”
The test pilot for the RAF’s Virgin Orbit is due to be announced soon by the USA. Defence budget commitments include at-sea nuclear deterrents, land, sea, and air defence, security and humanitarian aid, and space and cyber defence development.
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