PLANS to fit spaceflight into a ‘modern, greener Britain’ have been praised by Redditch MP Rachel Maclean.
The MP, who is also a transport minister, was speaking as the publication of the government’s environmental guidance for the spaceflight regulator was hailed as bringing ‘the first-ever launch into space from British soil one step closer’.
The regulator will oversee all launch and space activity from the UK ensuring it should meet environmental objectives.
Consultation on the document, which will last for six weeks, forms part of the Space Industry Act 2018 and will pave the way for a range of commercial spaceflight and scientific endeavours in the future.
Mrs Maclean said: “The small steps taken today show we are committed to growing the UK space sector, cementing our role on a global scale by unlocking a new era in spaceflight for the country.
“We want to capitalise on the opportunities commercial spaceflight can bring, which will feed into our national space strategy and the government’s agenda to build back better, all while improving our understanding of climate change and our world-leading efforts to tackle it.
As part of the government’s push to net-zero by 2050, access to space and the use of space-based technology is seen as providing many environmental benefits, including allowing the UK to observe weather patterns, monitor climate change, manage natural resources, and monitor harmful activities such as illegal deforestation, fishing and animal poaching.
