The UK space sector continues to demonstrate remarkable momentum, with 1,765 organisations generating £18.9 billion in income and supporting 52,000 full-time equivalent positions in 2023 [1]. Yet this impressive foundation reveals a challenge: achieving the sector’s ambitious growth targets requires addressing the persistent gap between current funding levels and the investment needed to realize the UK’s space potential. This context sets the stage for an important gathering next week as the biennial UK Space Conference returns to Manchester on July 16-17 with the UK Space Agency as the lead sponsor.
This year’s theme centres on growth across multiple dimensions: awareness, investment, workforce development, capabilities, and the broader UK space economy. The conference brings together UK and international experts from academia, government, and industry to chart the future trajectory of the UK space sector, with sessions explicitly focused on actionable solutions rather than theoretical discussions.
The opening plenary, “Space for Growth: How Do We Supercharge the UK Economy with the Space Sector?” directly addresses the conference’s core mission. These sessions reflect the sector’s evolution from niche technology to economic driver with implications extending far beyond traditional space boundaries. The conference actively encourages participation from non-space companies seeking to join the New Space economy.
Particularly compelling is the conference’s international perspective, especially regarding Africa. The recent inauguration of the African Space Agency in Egypt has created new momentum for collaboration. The UK-Africa Space Partnership Roundtable, which I’ll be attending, represents a strategic opportunity to explore these developing partnerships. The Satellite Applications Catapult‘s recent UK-South Africa Space Sector Comparative Study [2] has already identified promising areas for collaboration, suggesting tangible pathways forward.
The “Building Successful Regional and Global Partnerships” session underscores how UK space growth increasingly depends on international collaboration. These partnerships open pathways to new markets and create opportunities for UK companies to expand their reach while leveraging complementary capabilities from each partner.
As the UK space sector continues its growth trajectory, this conference offers a crucial platform for transforming strategic discussions into concrete actions that will shape the industry’s future. The emphasis on solutions-oriented sessions becomes particularly relevant as the sector grapples with scaling investment to match its growth ambitions—a challenge that demands both innovative thinking and practical pathways forward. I look forward to engaging with fellow professionals at the conference and exploring how we can work together to address these challenges.
UK Space Conference 2025: Looking Forward to See You in Manchester for Potential Collaboration
