UK Space Agency replaces BNSC

William Atkins
Thursday, 25 March 2010 00:49

Science - Space

On April 1, 2010, the UK Space Agency will replace the British National Space Centre as the overall organization that coordinates civil space activities in the United Kingdom.

 

Government officials announced the new move on Tuesday, March 23, 2010, saying that the new space organization, paralleling NASA in the United States, will promote the country's space activities both in the United Kingdom and throughout the world.

The BNSC was Britain's former agency for space activities, however, it did not have the ability to coordinate all space-based activities for the United Kingdom.

The new UK Space Agency (UKSA) will now be able to coordinate all of the space activities for the United Kingdom (officially called the United Kingdom for Great Britain and Northern Ireland)'”that is, for the four countries of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Lord Mandelson, Lord Drayson, and astronaut Major Timothy Peake made the announcement of the new UK Space Agency at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre on March 23, 2010.

According to the BNSC website, 'The unveiling of the UK Space Agency, followed an announcement by Lord Mandelson of an International Space Innovation Centre (ISIC) at Harwell, Oxfordshire, supported by £12m from BIS' Strategic Investment Fund.'

The speech by Lord Drayson, minister of science and innovation, is found at 'UK Space Agency Launch.'

The UK Space Agency will initially operate from the current BNSC headquarters in Swindon, Wiltshire, England.

 

Page two continues with the budget of the new UK Space Agency, along with a comparison with the NASA budget.