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| Britain to establish space agency | Britain to establish space agency |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| The UK will formally launch its new space agency on Tuesday. | The UK will formally launch its new space agency on Tuesday. |
| The nation has been alone among the major industrialised nations in not having an executive body to direct its activities beyond the Earth's surface. | The nation has been alone among the major industrialised nations in not having an executive body to direct its activities beyond the Earth's surface. |
| The new organisation is expected to take control of the money spent on space by government departments and science funding agencies. | The new organisation is expected to take control of the money spent on space by government departments and science funding agencies. |
| It will also represent the UK in all its dealings with international partners. | It will also represent the UK in all its dealings with international partners. |
| Britain currently puts about £270m a year into civil space endeavours, most of it via the UK's membership of the European Space Agency (Esa). | Britain currently puts about £270m a year into civil space endeavours, most of it via the UK's membership of the European Space Agency (Esa). |
| This is not expected to change dramatically with the creation of an executive agency, especially with the government committed to cutting the public deficit. | This is not expected to change dramatically with the creation of an executive agency, especially with the government committed to cutting the public deficit. |
| The hope, however, is that the reorganisation will bring more coherence to space policy, enabling the available monies to be spent more effectively. | The hope, however, is that the reorganisation will bring more coherence to space policy, enabling the available monies to be spent more effectively. |
| In tandem with the establishment of the agency, the government will also give its response to a major report produced last month on the future of the UK space industry. | In tandem with the establishment of the agency, the government will also give its response to a major report produced last month on the future of the UK space industry. |
| The sector has been very successful, growing at an average of 9% a year even through the recession. It currently generates revenues in excess of £6bn per annum. | The sector has been very successful, growing at an average of 9% a year even through the recession. It currently generates revenues in excess of £6bn per annum. |
| Astronaut Tim Peake on the UK's new space agency | |
| The Space Innovation and Growth Strategy was prepared jointly by industry, academia and Whitehall officials. It set out a series of recommendations to grow the sector still further over the next 20 years. | The Space Innovation and Growth Strategy was prepared jointly by industry, academia and Whitehall officials. It set out a series of recommendations to grow the sector still further over the next 20 years. |
| Among its recommendations was a call to government and industry itself to raise substantially their levels of investment in the coming decade. | Among its recommendations was a call to government and industry itself to raise substantially their levels of investment in the coming decade. |
| The IGS also wanted the government to back a National Space Technology Strategy and to investigate the idea of an indigenous Earth observation service. | The IGS also wanted the government to back a National Space Technology Strategy and to investigate the idea of an indigenous Earth observation service. |
| The BBC understands the latter proposal at least will get a study to determine its feasibility. | The BBC understands the latter proposal at least will get a study to determine its feasibility. |
| The creation of a space agency is just the latest in a series of initiatives affecting British space interests. | The creation of a space agency is just the latest in a series of initiatives affecting British space interests. |
| In July last year, Esa finally opened a technical centre in Britain - the only one of its senior members not to have such a showcase facility. It also appointed a British national, Major Tim Peake, to its astronaut corps in May. | In July last year, Esa finally opened a technical centre in Britain - the only one of its senior members not to have such a showcase facility. It also appointed a British national, Major Tim Peake, to its astronaut corps in May. |
| Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk | Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk |