UK Space Agency to open regional offices at park
THE UK Space Agency (UKSA) is opening a regional office in Leicester in April, as well as new headquarters in Oxfordshire and offices in Scotland and Wales, as it works to support the space sector across the UK.
The expansion is designed to allow UKSA to promote regional skills and job opportunities.
The Midlands offices will open at Space Park Leicester.
Andrew Griffith, minister for space at the Department for
Science, Innovation and Technology, said: “Our space sector has grown considerably across all parts of the UK and new offices in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Leicester will serve the talented space researchers and innovators around the country while creating jobs, growing our local economies and strengthening the UK’s science superpower ambitions.”
Dr Paul Bate, UKSA chief executive, said: “This is a transformational moment for the
UK Space Agency, responding directly to the feedback that the agency should be embedded in the sector.
“Our new headquarters, located at the UK’s biggest space cluster in Harwell, will connect to regional offices in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Leicester, helping us recruit space talent from across the nation and deliver the National Space Strategy.
“This will place the UK Space Agency at the heart of the space sector we serve, boosting growth, improving relationships with regional organisations and supporting a strong, diverse and connected sector.
“We have seen a significant rise in space organisations across the UK and it’s crucial we nurture their skills and expertise, to ensure we continue this journey.”
The UK space sector is worth more than £17.5 billion per year and employs 45,000 people, while satellites underpin £360 billion per year of wider economic activity.