While a member of the EU, Britain injected £ 1.2 billion into the project, which is intended to compete with comparable US and Russian systems. The UK’s involvement ended after Britain voted to leave the EU in 2016, with Prime Minister Theresa May saying the government would focus on ‘alternatives’.
In 2020, the UK spent £ 364million to buy a major stake in satellite company OneWeb, which was on the brink of collapse.
OneWeb hopes to build a network of satellites that can provide Internet anywhere in the world, rivaling the SpaceX Starlink program.
However, in June, Timo Pesonen, chief of the defense industry and space branch of the European Commission, indicated that Britain could still have a role with Galileo.
He commented: “The European Union is open to negotiating with the UK on its participation in EU space programs. The ball is in London, not here.
Express.co.uk readers urged the government to be careful about opening Brussels, noting it could cost the UK even more money.
One wrote: ‘Rumor has it they hit a stumbling block and the only way out of this mess is to get the UK pundits back on it. Boris should tell them to go and cast their hook, they will take our expertise and pull us out when they are no longer needed.
A second commented: “Three reasons why the EU would have this ‘change of mind’:
“1) They need our technological expertise and contribution. 2) They want us to put more money into it. 3) They are terrified that our system is better and better than Galileo. Maybe all 3 too.
READ MORE: UK to win £ 9 trillion Brexit prize as ‘small’ EU replaced
He wants Britain to own 10% of the global space industry by 2030.
Spaceport Cornwall hopes to have its first launch in 2021, with Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit launching satellites into space from the site.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Project Manager Melissa Thorpe said: “The UK is actually big hitters in making satellites.
“I think people are surprised to find out, but they have been for years.
“Creating this launch capacity here in the UK is simply being able to secure this market.
“Right now all of these satellites are built here, but they’re all shipped overseas to be launched.
“So the UK government has identified an opportunity; if we can get them started here, we can really grow the whole launch market and the manufacturing market across the UK.
There are also a number of proposals for the UK’s first vertical rocket launch site in Scotland.
Ms Thrope argued that Britain has a “diminishing window of opportunity” to secure the European market for satellite launches.
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This notice was published: 2021-08-28 14:21:14
