"From even a cursory view of the UK space industry, it's clear that there are really exciting times ahead. For young engineers, this is the place to be."
Parliament, London
30 March 2009
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Good afternoon, everyone.
Any discussion of careers in space needs to start by recognising that the UK is a world-leader in this industry.
I've been talking a lot about the need for the country to focus on those sectors where, over the next 20 years, there's a real opportunity for sustainable economic expansion and national success. Space is certainly one of them.
On the academic side, we have an established reputation for astronomy and planetary science, and also earth science, where we're pioneers in using data from space in climate change research.
On the commercial side, the latest survey of the industry reported an annual turnover of £5.8 billion. Our satellite expertise is second to none: home to the world’s leading small satellite company, Europe’s most successful satellite-based TV broadcaster, and a world-class provider of global mobile communications.
All told, the 2008 survey depicted an industry employing nearly 19,000 – including some of the most highly-skilled and highly-qualified people across the entire economy.
Now, I often like to say that space has a unique capacity to capture children's imaginations and inspire girls and boys to study science subjects at school and university. Only dinosaurs come close to generating the same kind of enthusiasm and wonder.
Right now, the UK has a real need for more scientists and engineers. We have to demonstrate to children that STEM subjects in school are the start of a route to exciting and rewarding jobs.
But I suspect, in the case of this audience, that you've already been convinced about the intrinsic value of science.
So what opportunities might space offer you over the coming years?
It's a fair question. When I graduated as an engineer in the early 1980s, the hot topic in manufacturing was robotics – the field in which I subsequently earned my PhD. Well, robotics is now one of the most dynamic disciplines to drive space exploration.
The UK is involved, for example, in the ExoMars life-search rover – a European Space Agency project to characterise the biological environment on Mars, in preparation for robotic missions and then later human exploration of the Red Planet. We're leading on the design of the rover vehicle, as well as building key parts of its exobiology payload.
Looking more broadly, I would highlight three areas likely to generate demand for talented scientists and engineers.
The first relates to the ongoing digital revolution. The Government's ambition is for every home in Britain to have a broadband connection. At the moment, around 1.75 million homes are unreachable at the benchmark of two megabytes per second, mainly in rural areas.
Satellite technology is the only economical way to provide broadband services to people in both remote parts of the country and in urban "not spots" – and it can do so at next-generation speeds. It can also ease pressure on available bandwidth by enabling more efficient download mechanisms.
HYLAS, a new UK-built satellite, will be launched later this year, with the capacity to serve 100,000 subscribers at two megabytes per second, even in the remotest parts of the country.
Beyond the home market, I hope we will exploit our know-how to sell this technology worldwide, and so help to bridge the "digital divide".
The second area – also predominantly satellite-led – involves arguably the greatest challenge of our generation.
Because satellites can gather huge amounts of data quickly and reliably; because they can observe and measure in real time – they represent the only way to monitor gradual environmental change on a global level.
For nearly a decade, the eight-tonne Envisat (envy-sat) spacecraft – built in Britain for the European Space Agency – has been circling the Earth once every 90 minutes and building up a picture of global pollution, increasing sea surface temperatures and the loss of the rain forests.
Right now, a UK team is leading the science behind the Cryosat mission – launching later this year – to examine the thickness of land and sea ice, while Surrey Satellite Technology has built the satellites for the Disaster Monitoring Constellation – capable of multi-spectral imaging in any part of the world. The constellation has been used many times to provide base maps for assessing damage to infrastructures, measurements of landslides and for selecting localities in most need of aid.
Satellites are central to the entire climate change agenda and beyond. Last November, I signed the UK up to the European GMES initiative. This will use a series of Earth observation satellites in support of land, marine and atmospheric analysis – as well as civil security and emergency response services. Your generation will rely on the data they provide.
That's the current frontier in satellite technology. In future, we could well see it applied to ensure the safety of individuals – the elderly, say, or people with serious medical conditions. By carrying health monitors and alert devices which are hooked up to satellites, people could enjoy greater freedom and independence.
My final example is more speculative – but not overly so. Given the UK's achievements in lowering the cost of access to space, there are real opportunities to be at the forefront of space tourism. The first wealthy tourists have signed up to fly on Virgin Galactic’s Space Ship 2 for short hops into space. As more people travel, so the cost will fall and a new industry will be created. Will the UK seize those opportunities?
And what of the final frontier – human exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond? If you don't like the thought of paying your way beyond the atmosphere, then becoming an astronaut could be an alternative. If I were young enough, I'd certainly be contemplating it!
The UK is currently reviewing its position on robotic and human exploration – and I'm awaiting official advice.
What I would say, however, is that a global effort towards space exploration is gathering pace, with Europe and UK playing a key role. The US is returning to the Moon to stay and explore; China is building its first space station; and India has announced plans to orbit astronauts.
The first astronaut to step onto Mars is currently in secondary school. Should the UK play a role here or watch the adventure unfolding on virtual-reality, 3-D screens?
From even a cursory view of the UK space industry, it's clear that there are really exciting times ahead.
For young engineers, this is the place to be: the world’s leading capital market for satellite and application financing, home to specialists in software and control for satellites, and ground segment operations.
Your generation has the chance to work on tiny nano-satellites or drive the transition from chemical propulsion to nuclear; to create single-stage-to-orbit launchers that will revolutionise our access to space; to introduce more "green engineering" to the space industry or find solutions to the growing problem of space junk.
There will also be healthy demand for pure scientists – analysing data, for example, from the Herschel Space Observatory – the largest space telescope yet built, which is set to launch next month – and building its successors that will search for the fingerprints of life on planets circling stars far across our galaxy.
Quite simply, space-age tools are essential for sustainability, good governance and security – for better understanding the universe around us. To develop them will require the finest science and engineering minds, the boldest entrepreneurs.
That's quite enough from me. It's time to hear what you think. Thanks for listening.
