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Reported by Kate McNeil, CSaP Communications Coordinator
Interdependency characterizes space policymaking, which draws on scientific, commercial policy, and international governance, as well as our understanding and management of risks in and from the space domain, says James Cemmell, Vice President of Government Engagement at Inmarsat.
Global telecommunications, GPS, earth observation, environmental monitoring, and weather forecasting are just some of the ways in which we interact with space systems in our everyday lives. According to Patrick Wood, Chief Technology Officer & Programme Management Director at the Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group, the UK's history as an early player in the development and utilization of space technology has given this country both a technological and an industrial advantage. He highlighted the historical importance of the UK's collaborations with the European Space Agency and missions to the International Space Station, and noted that the UK is a strong player in the building and operation of global telecommunication satellite systems, and in satellites for science missions, Earth observation, and the military.
There are now more than 70 companies in the Harwell Space Cluster, while other regions are also growing their involvement in the space industry, including the Midland's Space Park Leicester, and investments into deep space communications in Goonhilly. As the UK's involvement in space industries continues to grow and evolve, Mr Wood stresses the need for those operating in this sector to be "locked together" from an industrial strategy point of view.
As our dependence upon space for communications, navigation, timing and business increases, space weather is also becoming more important, says Professor Richard Horne, Head of Space Weather at the British Antarctic Survey. Space can hazardous in many ways. For example, solar flares can degrade solar arrays on spacecraft; large scale space weather events can interfere with communications with aircraft on high latitude polar routes; magnetic storms can cause anomalies in satellite fleets, and electrical currents in the upper layers of the atmosphere have been known to cause power outages. There are also risks posed by space debris, with Professor Horne noting that humanity has already heavily polluted space. The electrical currents associated with the aurora heat up the atmosphere and increase the risk of spacecraft collision with space debris in that process. To manage the problems posed by space weather and space debris, Professor Horne suggests the UK must think about long term strategy and long-term investments. This needs to be accompanied by more data, continuous measurements, increased public awareness of the challenges we face, and international collaboration.
Dr Nikita Chiu, Ad Astra Distinguished Fellow in Robotic and Outer Space Governance at the Space Engineering Research Center, stresses that while the transition to a more sustainable business model for space industries is needed, we need the technology, the business case, and the governance to support sustainability. This will involve increasing satellite affordability, working to ensure parts of satellites can be easily be replaced or repaired in space to reduce the risk of satellite becoming dead due to malfunctioning, and addressing the we need to address the policy and governance angle. As more private sector companies enter the space industry, and as more countries become new entrants to the space sector, good governance and cooperation will be vital for ensuring that we minimize the risk of space debris collisions or collision between two operational satellites.
This virtual seminar was part of CSaP’s 2020 Virtual Annual Conference Seminar Series, which will be running throughout the months of May and June. To learn more, or to register for your free ticket to attend an upcoming session, please visit our annual conference events page.
Cover Photo by Graham Holtshausen on Unsplash