United Kingdom


Satellites Help Find Treasured Trash

Satellite imagery continues to be used in surprising ways. One startup, Terra Recovery, is using satellite remote sensing technology in tandem with flying drones to find mining opportunities in the United Kingdom and North America.

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2014 – United Kingdom Government Space Budget

The United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA) was expected to receive a budget of £## million (US$## million) in 2014, according to planning documents. Of that, £## million (US$## million) went toward the national space program and €## million (US$## million) went to the European Space Agency (ESA). This represented a ##% decrease from last year’s total civil space spending of £## million (US$## million), though the national budget increased by ##% from £## million (US$## million).

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2014 – Government Space Budgets Overview

On a global level, government investment in space increased #% to $## billion. Because not all governments operate under the same fiscal cycle, space spending numbers were derived from the most recent budgetary information available for each country. As in previous years, the growth was not uniform, with some countries reducing the funding available for space activity, as shown below. The figures reported in the following country profiles are presented in both the local currency and U.S. dollars as of June 30 of the appropriate year.

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Economy: Space Economy – TSR 2014

Economy: Space Economy - TSR 2014 an annual review of the commercial space infrastructure and support industries and space-based products and services used on Earth. This edition also delves into…

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2013 – Government Space Budgets Overview

Government space programs accounted for approximately $## billion in spending during 2013, representing ##% of the global space economy. Government investment in space decreased by ##% in 2013, contributing to a cumulative average annual growth rate of ##% between 2009 and 2013. The top-line figures, however, do not fully depict how some countries have significantly increased space spending while others have made cuts, as shown in Exhibit 2n. Because not all governments operate under the same fiscal cycle, international space spending numbers were derived from the most recent budgetary information available for each country. The figures reported in the following country profiles are presented in both the local currency and U.S. dollars as of June 30 of the appropriate year.

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2013 – Military Communications

Dedicated and secure communications links are vital to defense agencies around the world. Increasing demand for capacity—particularly secure connectivity using non-commercial frequency bands—has driven the deployment of dedicated military communications satellites. The U.S. military buys a significant portion of its capacity from commercial operators such as Intelsat and SES. However, the United States also relies on military-specific systems such as the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) program, supplying dedicated communications to U.S. and allied military forces around the globe.

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2013 – United Kingdom Government Space Budget

The United Kingdom’s planned space budget for FY 2013/2014, which ran from April 2013 through March 2014, totaled £## million (US$## million), based on planning documents published by the UKSA. This amount included the UK’s ESA contribution. During FY 2013/2014, planned UK national-only space spending, excluding the ESA contribution, totaled £## million (US$## million). 

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2013 – Number of First-Degrees Awarded

The number of STEM first-degree (bachelor’s equivalent) graduates in many space-relevant countries has increased in recent years. The disciplines included here are physical, biological, and computer science; engineering; and mathematics.

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2013 – Demographics

Science and engineering courses offered at the secondary school level are important for preparing students to pursue STEM degrees. Not only may students with more exposure be more likely to pursue a STEM degree upon reaching university, but research suggests that they are more likely to actually complete that degree.

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