HOW SATELLITES BENEFIT THE UK
Total income of the the UK space industry is £13.7bn.
There is a global market for satellite data and the UK is at the forefront of providing satellite solutions to the world. UK Government and industry are committed to growing a £40 billion UK industry by 2030.
UK Growth will be achieved through a mix of space infrastructure and space-enabled services, with the aim to grow downstream revenues.
With long standing expertise in satellite manufacture and data applications, combined with an entrepreneurial outlook, the UK is well placed to take advantage of the changing landscape ahead.
The UK space industry employs
38,500 people
- 26% – London
- 23% – South East
- 18% – Scotland
- 33% – Rest of the UK
UK MANUFACTURE AND INSTRUMENTS
UK SERVICES AND APPLICATIONS
EARTH OBSERVATION
Earth Observation (EO) satellites help us to monitor and protect our environment, manage our resources, respond to global humanitarian disasters and enable sustainable development.
COMMUNICATION
Communication satellites power our insatiable appetite for data on the go and can connect people in different locations anywhere on Earth.
NAVIGATION
Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) provide us with position and time. The most well-known navigation satellite is GPS (Global Positioning System).
SATELLITE ORBITS
LEO
(Low Earth Orbit)
Positioned 180-800km above the Earth, LEO satellites are typically for Earth observation. Their close orbits enable better visibility of the Earth’s surface. The International Space Station follows an LEO.
MEO
(Medium Earth Orbit)
Positioned approximately 20,000km above the Earth. These are mainly GPS and other positioning satellites, often networked together to create a ‘constellation’, allowing broader coverage.
GEO
(Geosynchronous Orbit)
Positioned approximately 35,800km above the Earth. Typically communication, TV, and weather satellites, they stay over the same point of the equator by matching the direction and speed of the Earth’s rotation. This means that from the ground they appear motionless.
HEO
(High Elliptical Orbit)
High elliptical orbits speed around the bottom of their path, and slow towards the top, allowing them to spend more time in sight of a certain area.
WELCOME TO A NEW CHAPTER
The UK is writing a new, dynamic chapter in the history of space. From the pioneering days of space exploration to the dawning of commercial exploitation. The UK Space industry already employs 37,000 people, and is bringing limitless benefits to the UK. Currently, the UK has a £11.1bn share of the global space market. This figure is set to grow to £40bn by 2030. These is all achievable thanks to the UK’s long-standing expertise in satellite manufacture and data applications, combined with the entrepreneurial outlook, making the UK well placed to take advantage of the changing landscape.
DID YOU KNOW?
CREATE DIGITAL MAPS
Create digital maps of farms, allowing farmers to analyse soil composition and monitor crop health
MONITOR WIND VELOCITY
Monitor wind velocity and pollution levels, creating air quality reports
ANALYSE CARBON STORAGE
Analyse carbon storage of a forest, the value of which can be used to achieve more sustainable development
MEASURE GROUND MOVEMENT
Measure ground movement to millimetre precision
PROVIDE A TIME SIGNAL
Provide a time signal to picosecond accuracy
DELIVER RELIABLE BROADBAND
Deliver reliable broadband services to remote locations
DETERMINE THE RATE
Determine the rate of water evaporation in irrigated crops, enabling efficient water resource management
SPOT ROAD FAULTS
Spot road faults and monitor traffic flows to ensure better quality roads and driving conditions
TRACK THE FLOW
Track the flow of people and goods in and out of a country, city, or a single building