The UK government has unveiled a new space strategy worth £7.8 billion, combining civilian and military spending across multiple departments to boost economic growth and national security through to 2030. The plan, coordinated by the newly formed Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade alongside the Ministry of Defence and other bodies, reflects a growing view of orbit as both an economic opportunity and a military competition, with the government citing a domestic space sector worth £18.6 billion and employing more than 55,000 people.

The funding spans several areas, including £149 million for European Space Agency safety work and £85 million for the National Space Operations Centre to improve collision and threat warnings, plus £880 million for military space surveillance capabilities. A further £2.8 billion is earmarked for satellite connectivity, including up to £160 million for the Connectivity in Low Earth Orbit programme, while smaller sums support in-orbit manufacturing (£40 million), European rocket programmes (£148 million), Shetland's SaxaVord Spaceport (£30 million), and space science including the Rosalind Franklin Mars rover mission (£163 million). The announcement comes despite concerns raised in July when the £8.35 billion Skynet 6 military satellite communications upgrade was given a "red" delivery rating by government watchdogs due to workforce shortages and other issues.