The United Kingdom has announced that its Space Agency will cease to exist as an independent body in April 2026.
According to the government, the agency will be absorbed into the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to reduce bureaucracy, cut duplication, and ensure direct ministerial oversight.
Officials say the restructuring is “aimed at saving costs and strengthening coordination in the country’s space programme.”
But a leading space scientist, Dr Simeon Barber of the Open University said the move would lead to disruption in the short term and the UK losing ground to its international competitors over the long run.
Dr Barber feared that scrapping UKSA would lead to Britain’s space sector “losing focus”.
“Around the world countries have been recognising the importance of space by setting up National Space Agencies, and for the government to be scrapping ours seems like a backward step,” he said.
It feels like we’re going to get stuck in the mud again,” Dr Barber told reporter.
The UK Space Agency was established in 2010 in response to the growing importance of the space sector to the economy.
It has played a key role in advancing the development of small spacecraft, satellites, and space instrumentation, areas where the UK has recorded significant achievements.
The agency is also responsible for driving the country’s space strategy, coordinating research and commercial activities, and fostering partnerships with international bodies
UKSA saw a UK astronaut, Tim Peake launched into space to work on the International Space Station and the development of Britain’s own capability to launch small satellites and other small payloads into space from Scotland.
The Space sector generates an estimated £18.6bn a year and employs 55,000 people across the country.
The agency, its budget and activities will now be absorbed into DSIT. It follows a commitment from Prime Minister Keir Starmer to reduce costs and cut the number of arms length government bodies, known as quangos (quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations), starting with the abolition of NHS England announced in March.
Space Minister, Sir Chris Bryant said; “Bringing things in house means we can bring much greater integration and focus to everything we are doing while maintaining the scientific expertise and the immense ambition of the sector.”
The merger will see the agency become a unit within DSIT, staffed by experts from both organisations and retaining the UKSA name.
Supporters of the Space Agency fear the merger could undermine its dynamic and proactive approach, which has been key to the success of the UK’s space science and industry.
BBC/Jide Johnson.