Space industry experts to be quizzed by Lords Committee on UK Space Engagement

The session will take place from 3.35pm on Monday 17 March in Committee Room 2, Palace of Westminster, and can be watched in person - or live, or later, on Parliament Live TV.

Questions are likely to focus on: 

• Opportunities and challenges facing the UK space economy and major businesses
• Future growth areas for the UK space economy
• UK space policy in recent years; and how it compares to other countries
• Media speculation of a possible merger between Airbus, Thales Alenia Space and Leonardo 
• The UK’s relationship with the European Space Agency

The Committee will hear first from: 

• Will Lecky, Co-founder at Space
• Rasmus Flytkjaer, Partner at LE Europe

At 4:30pm, it will take evidence from:

• Richard Thorburn, CEO at Thales Alenia Space UK
• Patrick Wood, Head of Space Systems UK at Airbus

Over the course of its inquiry, the Committee is hearing from experts, industry professionals and academics.

The Committee, whose membership is here, aims to report to Government later this year. Members include a world-leading expert in the application of signal processing and machine learning to healthcare, a former MEP, a former Leader of the Commons, and a former TUC President. 

Baroness Ashton, chair of the House of Lords UK Engagement with Space Committee, said:

“There has never been a more interesting, and potentially rewarding, time to explore the potential of space to the UK, its people and our economy. The UK was a leader in pioneering space technology. We were the third country in the world to launch our own satellite into space, and the growth of satellites for telecommunications has been aided by British space capability.”