A report from the Economic Policy Centre think tank says the UK will need to expand space cooperation beyond the European Space Agency if it wants to become a major space-going nation.
Unlike the original Space Race, private companies rather than governments now dominate sub-orbital flight says the report’s author Jim Bennett. Many of these companies, such as Virgin Galactic have strong UK links.
For the UK to realise its space vision, the report controversially recommends working more closely with NASA and Commonwealth countries and not just working with ESA, which takes up 75 per cent of UK space funds.
“Britain has networks of close ties, experiences, and mutual trust not just in one direction, but in three: Europe, the USA, and the Commonwealth,” says Bennett.
“It should seek to maintain its existing productive ties with Europe, exploit the ease of business between the US and Britain . . . and enhance its cooperation with Canada, Australia, and India.”
Download from here.
Taken from: www.economicpolicycentre.com