"Space-age tools are essential for our common security and sustainability – for better understanding the universe around us."
Hertfordshire University
20 April 2009
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Good morning.
I want to use this opportunity – at the start of the European Week of Astronomy & Space Science – to celebrate the UK's contribution to international research in both these fields.
As a nation, we should be proud of the quality of our scientists – of the fact, say, that UK astronomers are second only to US colleagues in terms of the productivity and impact of their research.
UK astronomers, along with their international colleagues, have done some incredible things over recent years. They've discovered a growing number of planets orbiting other stars. They've been investigating the origins of our universe. They've been understanding more and more about dark energy.
And they've been doing all this using amazing technology in incredible facilities – like the European Observatory in Chile, where the UK's VISTA infra red survey telescope is now operational. VISTA will help to detect objects beyond the visible spectrum – the needles in astronomical haystacks.
And just weeks away is the launch of Herschel and Planck– a major observatory for studying the origin and evolution of stars and galaxies, as well as the “echo” of the Big Bang.
Turning to space science, and it's just as exciting. Indeed, a major highlight of my time as science minister came last November, when I signed the UK up to the European Global Monitoring for Environment and Security initiative – GMES for short – and agreed that a new European Space Agency facility would be based at Harwell.
GMES – which will use a series of Earth observation satellites in support of land, marine and atmospheric analysis – stands at the heart of the climate change agenda. Through existing spacecraft like Envisat and forthcoming missions like Cryosat, we're developing a far more detailed picture of global pollution, the loss of the rain forests, the thickness of land and sea ice.
Our ambitions should go further still. I've spoken several times about the need for the UK to focus on those sectors where there are genuine prospects for sustainable economic expansion and national success. Space is certainly one of them.
The latest survey of the industry reported an annual turnover of £5.8 billion. We're home to the world’s leading capital market for satellite and application financing, to some of the very best software engineers and ground segment operations.
Looking ahead, therefore, our scientists and space-related businesses have great opportunities to create further jobs and to deliver tangible benefits for mankind.
Satellite technology is critical to the ongoing digital revolution. It's the only economical way to provide broadband services to people in remote parts of this country and around the world at next-generation speeds.
That same technology has huge potential in other fields besides. In future, we could see satellites used to protect vulnerable individuals – the elderly, say, or people with serious medical conditions. By carrying health monitors and alert devices hooked up to satellites, people could enjoy greater freedom and independence.
Then there are the vast possibilities associated with space exploration. A global effort is gathering pace, with Europe and the UK playing a key role. The US is returning to the Moon to stay and explore; China is building its first space station; India has announced plans to put astronauts into orbit.
Quite simply, space-age tools are essential for our common security and sustainability – for better understanding the universe around us. That's a message we would do well to communicate far beyond this professional gathering.
Later in the week, some talented school pupils will be visiting this campus to learn about asteroid impacts, for talks on next-generation telescopes and to get hands-on experience of space hardware.
As I've made clear, I'm in no doubt about the intrinsic capacity of space and astronomy to inspire young people in ways that make even the palaeontologists jealous. But awe and excitement are only the first steps.
All of us – whether we're engaged in research, in industry, or in Government – have to explain to children, to persuade them, that by persevering with maths and science subjects in school, they can work towards careers that are both financially rewarding and socially important.
There are some fascinating jobs and challenges out there – whether in theoretical astronomy or introducing more "green engineering" to the space industry; in Earth observation or devising solutions to the growing problem of space junk.
Now, it has been 15 years since the UK was last the location for this Europe-wide meeting. Whenever we're fortunate enough to hold this conference again, I want any successor of mine to be in a position to reflect that some of the frontiers that I outlined earlier will have been crossed, and that young people coming into the field are helping to bring further frontiers within reach: launching nano-satellites operating on nuclear propulsion; searching for the fingerprints of life on planets circling stars across our galaxy; preparing for human exploration of Mars.
And when all this happens, it cannot and must not go unnoticed. It shouldn't be hard to sell space.
As you all know, this year marks four centuries since Galileo first used a telescope to observe the sky. Galileo argued that "All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them." Whether you accept his initial premise, there's no question that our desire to divine the secrets of the universe is fundamental to who we are, what we do, and what we might achieve as humans. It's a desire that's shared beyond the community gathered here today.
It only remains for me to thank the University of Hertfordshire – itself a centre of excellence in instrumentation, survey and multi-wavelength astronomy – for hosting events this week. You have my best wishes for a productive conference.
