TAMPA, Fla. — Paul Bate is stepping down as CEO of the UK Space Agency (UKSA) at the end of March as it transitions from a standalone body into the British government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Recruitment for a director is underway as Bate prepares to depart following four and a half years at the helm, UKSA announced Feb. 2.
In a statement, Bate said “now is the right time to pass the baton on” as the government moves to absorb the agency by April, part of a broader restructuring announced last year aimed at cutting red tape and improving efficiency.
UKSA was created in 2010 to give the country a dedicated body to coordinate civil space policy, regulation and investment. According to the agency, it helped catalyze at least 2.2 billion British pounds ($3 billion) in investment and revenue for the country’s space sector in the 2024-2025 financial year.
Regrouping for growth
Still, the United Kingdom accounts for only about 5% of the global space economy, which is dominated by the United States.
The British government has also stepped back from a formal target of capturing 10% of the global space economy by 2030, amid intensifying competition in an increasingly strategic industry.
A cross-party parliamentary committee said in a November report that the country risks falling behind global competitors without clearer priorities, stronger coordination and sustained funding.
Government officials have argued that folding UKSA into the central government would help streamline decision-making and improve coordination across civil, defense and industrial space efforts.
However, the November report warned that bringing the agency directly under a government department could blur accountability and weaken operational independence, raising concerns about transparency as space budgets and policy responsibilities are absorbed.
Industry groups have echoed those concerns, saying UKSA’s independence has helped provide visibility into public spending and a clear interface between government and the private sector, which they fear could be harder to maintain under direct departmental control.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom is continuing to work on strengthening regulatory frameworks to attract more global space business, including a push to capture around a quarter of the emerging market for in-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing.
Related
Read the original article here