Access To Space

Areas of Market Opportunity and Growth

Access to Space covers a wide range of technologies and markets, from launch vehicles through to de-orbiting devices. Access is about the ability to exploit space for applications (commercial, military or scientific). The technologies to exploit new applications may not exist yet, and therefore need to be on our roadmap in order to ensure that the UK is in a leading position in the areas where we currently have market share, technological strength and growth potential.Recent developments in low-cost spacecraft technologies will realise frequent deployment ofconstellations of spacecraft,providing previously unach-ievable high temporal resolutions. Furthermore, applications are becom-ing more ambitious, requiring space-craft platforms to provide higher performance across all aspects from structures and power, to attitude control.Access is also about delivering space-craft to orbit. The commercial market for launch vehicles currently promises many opportunities for new market entrants. This is especially driven by the need for more responsive launches and the growth in plug and play small platforms. The market is valued at £100m/year with 300 small satellites launched/year by 2015. Technology, systems and a regulatory (licensing) and legislative frameworkt-hat encourages investment in the UK forsafe, affordable personal spaceflight.an market example being Virgin Galactic investing nearly £500m with first flights expected in 2012.

UK Capability, Position and International Competition

The UK has proven capability across a diverse range of Access to Space technologies.We are pioneering work in reusable launch vehicles, with space plane technologies. Current commercial efforts are based on traditional ground launched rocket technologies and do not provide the step change in cost model that could revolutionise the market. Developments in ultra-small launch vehicles, with lift capacities of 10-50kg, are in development in the USA, but with a military responsive space focus making them expensive and not desirable for commercial or scientific use. Current UK capability in propulsionsystemscould exploit this market gap.We are leading Europe in large space-craft structures and new on-board propulsion techniques, including Solar Electric Propulsion and ‘green’ propel-lants. These systems will provide inter-orbital transfer capabilities from Earth orbit manoeuvres to interplan-etary transfer. For many years, we have led the World in small satellite technologies, now one of the highest growth sectors in the space market, and the UK is perfectly positioned to take this forward through the continued development of next generation small satellites and CubeSats, building on existing strong brands.

Overview of Programmes Identified

Short term – focus on miniaturisation: build a programme around CubeSat platforms and UKube1 to deliver the next generation of high performance, low cost small satellites. Use UK expertise in MEMS technology to drive a step change on spacecraft electronics, sensors and actuators.

Medium Term – Responsive small satellite launch vehiclesfor air-launch from UK based airfield assets and- building on existing UK propulsion capabilities,plus development of low cost autonomous control systems. Development of supporting ground infrastructure

Longer term – Developments to support low-cost orbital infrastructure, including inter-orbital transportation and de-orbiting technologies – propulsion/ structures/ autonomous-robotic systems, launcher upper stage developments for flexible injection and reusable launch systems

Investment “Ask” from Industry and

Government Collectively

• On-going CubeSat programme. £1m/year for 5 years = £5m

• Space system miniaturisation developments £2.5m

• Nanosatellite launch, deployment and constellation development technologies: £5m

• Inter-orbital transfer capability: £5m• Reusable Launch Vehicle technolo-

gies £20m• Large satellite platform technologies

development £10m

w w w. a a d k t n . c o . u k / S p a c e S I G

A N a t i o n a l S p a c e Te c h n o l o g y S t r a t e g y f o r t h e U K

Novel engine

developments, and game-changing capablity

in launch systems, such as those seen on SKYLON, allow new methods of

payload delivery and return to earth, providing re-usable launch

systems capability.