A Space Park Leicester astrophysics and space science expert quoted in a new House of Lords report appraising the space economy has said artistic talents should be considered alongside STEM credentials in a bid to tackle the skills challenge facing the space sector.
Professor Martin Barstow, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Space Park Leicester, was invited to contribute to the UK Engagement with Space Committee’s new report, The Space Economy: Act Now or Lose Out.
The committee made up of 12 peers was appointed to consider UK policies relating to space, and both the opportunities and challenges related to the UK’s engagement with space.
Their latest report considers the difficulties facing the space sector and what action needs to be taken to stop the UK “seriously falling behind competitor states”.
In the report, Professor Barstow, who is Professor of Astrophysics and Space Science at the University of Leicester, was among those recommending that space skills should be considered more widely and should also include artistic and creative skills.
He encouraged greater imagination from the space sector in spreading knowledge about space applications, saying it is important that artistic skills were considered alongside STEM when it comes to addressing the space skills gap.
Professor Barstow also expressed concerns about the funding of space clusters – collaborations between companies, research organisations, and government agencies. He warned that “we have seen funding coming through to the clusters drop back quite dramatically” and that these vital collaborations were in “keep alive” mode. Encouragingly since Professor Barstow gave evidence, additional funding has been provided to space clusters, which has helped increase activity.
The report published on Tuesday, November 4, includes Professor Barstow’s comments on the importance of international collaboration, he says, “it is very difficult to do things on your own if you are a medium-sized country”, and that expanding partnerships is something that should be explored. A key future partnership could be with Japan, with Professor Barstow noting “long-standing relationships with universities in Japan going back decades”.
As to the benefits and drawbacks of membership of the European Space Agency (ESA), Professor Barstow said that historic overreliance on ESA meant the UK was not providing enough resource to sovereign programmes, which in turn limited its ability to benefit from ESA.
Professor Barstow, who is also Chair of the Midlands Innovation Space Group, said: “I welcomed the opportunity to review the UK’s space economy with committee members and industry peers, helping to provide a comprehensive summary and strategy for future growth.
“It is encouraging to see the scale of the recommendations being made in this much-anticipated report, along with the commitment being made to ensure the UK space sector remains at the forefront of space innovation.”
The committee report made a series of recommendations, including:
The reports states: “The value of space to modern society is underappreciated.
“The UK’s spending commitments on space are not commensurate with its ambitions in terms of both capability development and international leadership.
“Compared with peer states, the UK invests relatively little in its space sector, which will limit its ability to capitalise on the opportunities that emerge in years to come.
“Given the degree of state support that is traditionally required to achieve success in space, the UK risks seriously falling behind competitor states at current funding levels.”
Baroness Ashton, Chair of the UK Engagement with Space Committee said: “Only the most strategic and forward-looking nations will capture the economic and scientific rewards of this new space age.
“With the right leadership, co-ordination, and investment, the UK can be there. Space is transforming the world and our report found much to be positive about. Britain should play a role in leading this transformation. If not, it risks being left behind.”
Read The Space Economy: Act Now or Lose Out
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About Space Park Leicester
Space Park Leicester is a community at the forefront of the UK space sector, established through a partnership led by the University of Leicester. A world-leading cluster for innovative research, enterprise and education in space and Earth observation, Space Park Leicester represents a collaborative hub for industry and academia to develop and grow.
Opened in Spring 2022 by British European Space Agency astronaut Major Tim Peake, Space Park Leicester provides state-of-the-art facilities for research, development, and manufacturing. It houses capabilities and companies covering an end-to-end life-cycle, from satellite design and engineering, through to downstream data and its applications. This creates unmatched opportunities for collaboration.
Space Park Leicester is a cornerstone of Leicester’s Space City cluster, dedicated to space research, production, manufacture and development, and will make Leicester a key part of the UK’s Space Spine. Representing up to £233 million of investment, the Space City partnership includes Space Park Leicester, University of Leicester, DOCK, National Space Centre, National Space Academy and Leicester City Council. Space City is part of the Loughborough and Leicester Science and Innovation Enterprise Zone.
Explore Space Park Leicester partnerships, missions, residents, facilities, training programmes and innovation products at: www.space-park.co.uk
