New UK Space Strategy highlights opportunities for County Durham
The UK Government has launched a new UK Space Strategy, backed by £7.8 billion of investment to 2030, setting out plans to strengthen the UK’s space capabilities, support economic growth and build national security.
The strategy focuses on four priority areas: Satellite Communications, Space Domain Awareness, In-Orbit Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM), and Assured Access to Space.
For County Durham, these priorities build on capabilities already being developed across our technology and innovation ecosystem, particularly at NETPark in Sedgefield.
NETPark is home to businesses working across areas including advanced electronics, photonics, microelectronics and materials, with applications spanning sectors such as space and defence.
Companies including Filtronic, aXenic, Kromek and CPI are part of a wider regional ecosystem developing technologies relevant to communications, sensing and other demanding applications.
The strategy also highlights opportunities for businesses that may not traditionally consider themselves part of the space sector. Developments in areas such as advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, materials and electronics could create new routes into space supply chains as investment moves from strategy towards delivery.
With Space North East England based at NETPark, County Durham is already playing an important role in connecting businesses, academia and partners with opportunities across the UK and international space economy.
As the new strategy moves into implementation, there could be significant opportunities for businesses across County Durham to explore how their existing expertise and technologies could contribute to the next generation of space capabilities.
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