UK Space Agency to open new headquarters in Oxfordshire
Space industry jobs to be created when the new HQ opens at the Harwell Campus in June.
The UK Space Agency (UKSA) is opening new headquarters in Oxfordshire. It will also open regional offices in Scotland, Wales and the Midlands as it works to support the space sector across the UK.
The expansion is designed to allow UKSA to work closely with the UK's space sector, and promote regional skills and job opportunities.
The new premises at the Space Cluster at the Harwell Science Campus is due to open in June, at the Quad Two building.
Offices at William Morgan House in Cardiff and Space Park Leicester will open in April. The office at Queen Elizabeth House in Edinburgh will open later in the summer. Current offices in London and Swindon will be retained.
Andrew Griffith, minister for space at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, said: "Harwell's Space Cluster is already a hub of collaboration, with more than 100 thriving research organisations and 1,400 jobs, making it the ideal location for the UK Space Agency's new headquarters.
"At the same time, our space sector has grown considerably across all parts of the UK and new offices in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Leicester will serve the talented space researchers and innovators around the country while creating more jobs, growing our local economies and strengthening the UK's science superpower ambitions."
Dr Paul Bate, UKSA chief executive, said: "This is a transformational moment for the UK Space Agency, responding directly to the feedback that the agency should be embedded in the sector.
"Our new headquarters, located at the UK's biggest space cluster in Harwell, will connect to regional offices in Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Leicester, helping us recruit space talent from across the nation and deliver the National Space Strategy.
"This will place the UK Space Agency at the heart of the space sector we serve, boosting growth, improving relationships with regional organisations and supporting a strong, diverse and connected sector.
"We have seen a significant rise in space organisations across the UK and it's crucial we nurture their skills and expertise, to ensure we continue this journey."
The UK space sector is worth more than ÂŁ17.5 billion per year and employs over 45,000 people, while satellites underpin ÂŁ360 billion per year of wider economic activity.