The UK Government has confirmed that it is developing options for a British Global Navigation Satellite System.
Led by the UK Space Agency, a taskforce of Government specialists and industry will work quickly to develop options that will provide both civilian and encrypted signals and be compatible with the GPS system.
The UK is already a world leader in developing satellite technology, building 40% of the world’s small satellites — and 25% of its commercial telecommunications satellites.
UK companies have made a “critical contribution to the EU Galileo programme, building the payloads for the satellites and developing security systems”.
The taskforce will draw on this experience and expertise, as it develops plans for an innovative system that could deliver on the UK’s security needs and provide commercial services.
Business Secretary Greg Clark said: “This taskforce will develop options for an independent satellite navigation system using the world-beating expertise of Britain’s thriving space sector.
“We have made our position clear to the European Commission and highlighted the importance of the UK to the Galileo programme.”
Graham Turnock, CEO of the UK Space Agency, said: “As the Government has made clear, we should begin work now on options for a national alternative to Galileo, to guarantee that our satellite positioning, navigation and timing needs are met in the future.
“The UK Space Agency is well placed to lead this work, and it will use a wide range of expertise from the space, engineering and security sectors.”
The recent Blackett review (the result of the Government Chief Scientific Advisor establishing a process for government to engage with academia and industry to answer specific scientific and/or technical questions, primarily in the security domain) estimated that a failure of the navigation satellite service could cost the UK economy £1 billion a day.