UK safety at ‘extreme danger’ with out dependable satellite tv for pc entry, MPs warn

The UK authorities’s failure to acquire assured entry to the satellite tv for pc navigation techniques important to defence and demanding infrastructure dangers endangering nationwide safety, a cross-party group of MPs has stated.

The Home of Commons science and expertise committee on Friday criticised the federal government for not growing “resilient” various positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) techniques after shedding full entry to the EU’s Galileo, which the UK helped fund and construct, due to Brexit.

This has left the UK reliant on the US-controlled World Positioning System for essential functions. However entry may very well be blocked in future or GPS may fail, the MPs stated, which would go away nationwide safety at “extreme danger”.

In a wide-ranging report, the committee known as the federal government’s general method to area technique “disjointed and unclear”. Different criticisms included: delays in licensing satellite tv for pc launches from the UK; failure to publish a Plan B for if the nation is shut out of the EU’s Copernicus earth commentary programme; and abolishing the Nationwide House Council arrange in 2020.

Committee chair Greg Clark stated that, though the UK area and satellite tv for pc trade is flourishing with revenues of £16bn a yr, “the federal government’s unsure and disjointed method isn’t realising the trade’s full potential”.

“Higher cross-government co-ordination is sorely wanted to mirror that the area sector is not only economically vital however is central to the UK’s defence, nationwide safety and international relations,” he added.

The MPs stated a number of authorities departments have been engaged on choices to “achieve entry to safe and resilient PNT” however that no technique had but been printed. They expressed doubts about whether or not the constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit being developed by OneWeb — through which the UK took a $500mn stake in 2020 — may present PNT providers as the federal government hopes.

“There are various technical points surrounding utilizing low Earth orbit satellites for PNT indicators,” the report stated. “Ambiguity additionally stays in regards to the improvement schedule for full PNT providers from OneWeb and whether or not such providers may very well be supplied in a method that’s acceptable for sovereign army and demanding nationwide infrastructure functions.”

As a result of the lack of essential satellite tv for pc indicators could be so dangerous for energy distribution, monetary transactions, transport and defence, the committee urged the federal government to switch duty for growing a PNT technique from the Division for Enterprise, Vitality and Industrial Technique, to the Nationwide Safety Adviser.

With three spaceports being arrange within the UK — one in Cornwall and two in northern Scotland — “there may be palpable pleasure constructing across the first launch of a satellite tv for pc within the UK, which might propel the UK into a brand new area age”, stated Clark.

Sadly, he added, regulatory delays meant this had not occurred in summer time 2022 as deliberate. The newest unofficial estimate is for the Virgin Orbit to hold out a maiden launch from Spaceport Cornwall later this month or in early December.

Clark known as on the federal government to pay “pressing consideration” to the licensing course of “to make sure there aren’t any additional delays . . . and the UK continues to draw satellite tv for pc launches of world significance”.

The committee stated the principle drawback was that the Civil Aviation Authority lacked enough sources to hold out the very complicated means of issuing the assorted licences required to launch a spacecraft.

“Out of the entire workforce of 1,200 individuals on the CAA, solely 35 are engaged on area flight regulation,” stated Clark.

A authorities spokesperson stated: “Because of our continued help, the UK is now house to probably the most revolutionary and engaging area sectors on this planet, with our Nationwide House Technique delivering big milestones like Cornwall shortly internet hosting the first-ever small satellite tv for pc launch from European soil.”