The
UK Space Agency is set to become part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) in a move aimed at cutting duplication, reducing bureaucracy, putting ‘public accountability at the heart of decision-making, and thereby boost support for the UK’s space sector with a change that will bring together the people who shape space policy and those who deliver it’.
Taking place by April 2026, the new unit will keep the UK Space Agency (UKSA) name and brand and will be staffed by experts from both organisations. The announcement also coincided with the publication of over 60 recommendations from industry leaders on how to improve regulation for space missions, including Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO), where spacecraft work together in orbit missions that — according to the
UKspace IOSM Priorities Paper — are key to unlocking a future market worth £2.7 billion by 2031.
Space Minister Sir Chris Bryant said: “You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to see the importance of space to the British economy. This is a sector that pulls investment into the UK and supports tens of thousands of skilled jobs right across the country, while nearly a fifth of our GDP is dependent on satellites.
Vibrant space sector“The aims for growth and security at the heart of our Plan for Change can’t be met without a vibrant space sector. Bringing things in-house means we can bring much greater integration and focus to everything we are doing while maintaining the scientific expertise and the immense ambition of the sector.”
Dr Paul Bate, the UK Space Agency’s CEO, added: “I strongly welcome this improved approach to achieving the Government’s space ambitions. Having a single unit with a golden thread through strategy, policy and delivery will make it faster and easier to translate the nation’s space goals into reality.
“In coming together, the UK Space Agency and space policy colleagues are building on the firm foundations of economic growth and capability development laid in recent years, including cutting-edge missions, major national programmes, and the regulations that enable UK launch and leadership in space sustainability. We will continue to deliver, while reducing duplication and ensuring we work even more closely with Ministers to support the UK space sector, and the country.”
The UK Space Agency was founded in 2010 and currently operates as an executive agency of DSIT. It catalysed investment and revenue of at least £2.2 billion for the UK space sector in 2024/2025. DSIT and the Agency will continue to work closely together over the coming months to support the UK space sector and ensure a smooth transition to the new arrangements. Further practical details on the merger will be announced in due course.