Collaboration lies at the heart of the UK Space Agency ethos and applies across Government as well as to external organisations including European and global partners such as the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Union, national space agencies and the United Nations. The UK Space Agency was officially launched on 23 March 2010. Following the launch a transition team is working to define the shape of the new UK Space Agency. Find out more about the transition plans.

The British National Space Centre (BSNC) released the UK’s strategy for civil space activities on 14 February 2008. The UK Civil Space Strategy defines a plan of activities from 2008 to 2012 and beyond. The strategy recognises the critical role that space plays in underpinning many commercial and scientific activities, in particular the role that space technology can play in combating global issues such as climate change. The UK Space Agency will be at the heart of efforts to implement the civil space strategy. A copy of the UK Civil Space Strategy: 2008 – 2012 and beyond is available on the BNSC website.

Although Britain has a long-standing policy of not contributing to human spaceflight and instead supporting robotic and satellite-based missions, the announcement of Britain’s first Astronaut to join the ESA Corps, Major Timothy Peake, may additional encourage funding into the field of human spaceflight.

So what does these recent changes to the UK space sector mean to students and young professionals in the UK? A more focussed space agency will most certainly outreach across the spectrum of the educational system and (assuming more funding will make more jobs) provide greater opportunities for entrance into the Industry. It is important that during 2011 the SGAC are represented at any conferences, especially those affiliated with the new Space Agency. A more important platform at conferences can certainly provide greater visibility of SGAC activities.

• British Interplanetary Society: ‘From Reality to Imagination’ by Stephen Baxter (16 Feb, 7 - 8.30 pm):  This talk is a survey of a new future for mankind. Science fiction has always been about the future. But the future we imagine is not fixed, but springs from an ever-changing reality of discovery and imagination.
• UKSEDS Annual Conference (26-27 Feb): The UKSEDS conference is an annual meeting of the society members to attend sessions on the latest space technology and research. Each year representatives from the top employers in the space industry and universities attend in force, looking for you, the next generation of space engineers, scientists and researchers. The conference provides the opportunity for you to speak directly to employers, ideal if you are looking for a graduate job or industrial placement.
• UK Space Conference (March): The conference has something for anyone interested in Space and UK Space endeavours. From children to professors of Space Science there is something for everyone. There is a day aimed at kids and teachers followed by three days of presentations from Academia and Industry, discussions, a careers event, social events and an exhibition.
• British Interplanetary Society : ‘How the Saturn V Moon Rocket was Built and Tested’ by Alan Lawrie (25 May, 7-8.30 pm). This talk discusses how President John F Kennedy set America the bold target of designing, manufacturing, testing and flying a manned spacecraft to the moon’s surface and back within eight and a half years. A new, powerful, rocket would be needed to transport the Apollo spacecraft a quarter of a million miles to the moon. New materials, new technologies and new processes would be required. A network of facilities would be constructed across America to build, test and transport the hardware. An army of dedicated engineers and support staff would be mobilized to perform Herculean tasks in order to meet the goal that was arguably the greatest achievement of the 20th Century.
  The mighty Saturn V rocket was born. During the decade of the 1960s it rose from the drawing boards in record time to become the most powerful and most reliable rocket ever. However, the details of the problems that were encountered and how they were overcome were never released at the time. This situation can now be corrected and in this talk the inside story of the Saturn V is revealed with details of the various failures and ultimate successes highlighted.

 

Space School UK: http://www.spaceschooluk.org
UKSEDS: http://www.uk.seds.org

UK Rocket Association: http://www.ukra.org.uk

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· British Interplanetary Society: 16 February 2011, 7 - 8.30 pm

‘From Reality to Imagination’ by Stephen Baxter: This talk is a survey of a new future for mankind. Science fiction has always been about the future. But the future we imagine is not fixed, but springs from an ever-changing reality of discovery and imagination.

· UKSEDS Annual Conference: 26-27 February 2011

The UKSEDS conference is an annual meeting of the society members to attend sessions on the latest space technology and research. Each year representatives from the top employers in the space industry and universities attend in force, looking for you, the next generation of space engineers, scientists and researchers. The conference provides the opportunity for you to speak directly to employers, ideal if you are looking for a graduate job or industrial placement.

· UK Space Conference: March 2011

The conference has something for anyone interested in Space and UK Space endeavours. From children to professors of Space Science there is something for everyone. There is a day aimed at kids and teachers followed by three days of presentations from Academia and Industry, discussions, a careers event, social events and an exhibition.

· British Interplanetary Society: 25 May 2011 7-8.30 pm

‘How the Saturn V Moon Rocket was Built and Tested’ by Alan Lawrie. This talk discusses how President John F Kennedy set America the bold target of designing, manufacturing, testing and flying a manned spacecraft to the moon’s surface and back within eight and a half years. A new, powerful, rocket would be needed to transport the Apollo spacecraft a quarter of a million miles to the moon. New materials, new technologies and new processes would be required. A network of facilities would be constructed across America to build, test and transport the hardware. An army of dedicated engineers and support staff would be mobilized to perform Herculean tasks in order to meet the goal that was arguably the greatest achievement of the 20th Century.

The mighty Saturn V rocket was born. During the decade of the 1960s it rose from the drawing boards in record time to become the most powerful and most reliable rocket ever. However, the details of the problems that were encountered and how they were overcome were never released at the time. 

This situation can now be corrected and in this talk the inside story of the Saturn V is revealed with details of the various failures and ultimate successes highlighted.