UK 'must reinstate space programme'

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About 90% of the UK's national security and disaster protection systems are supported from space, according to UKspace trade association.

The Space Secures Prosperity report called on the Government to review its reliance on overseas satellite information.

National security, flood prevention and business were identified as areas most dependent on space systems.

Paul Flanagan, secretary general of UKspace, said: "Space is vital to protecting our nation, our armed forces and our vital infrastructure. Weather forecasting and the monitoring of climate change both depend on satellites, as does the prevention of terrorism via space-based intelligence-gathering.

"The whole world around us depends on space. The issue must therefore rise up the national priority list. Defence and security are key parts of the UK space industry's work. The Government should urgently consider the degree to which it should have an independent satellite intelligence capability rather than depending heavily on that of other nations - as well as determining the risks to national security of not increasing our independent capability.

"Space is increasingly important to our daily lives - becoming more so every day. Our reliance on space in the security arena in particular needs to be better understood and this report is UKspace's response to the National Security Strategy."

The report states there should be "a far more comprehensive and coherent strategic effort to ensure the space infrastructure, which makes our daily lives possible, can be protected at all times from loss of service due to accidental or intentional damage."

The Government, industry and society in general are not fully aware of the dependency on space, the report says.

The UK should reinstate a robust national space programme, acknowledge society's increasing dependency on space and rigorously monitor threats to military and civil space infrastructure, it was recommended. The report will be officially launched at the RUSI Space for Defence and Security conference, in London, on September 16.