The moment space changed

Looking back, Paul describes a sector that remained relatively stable for decades. For much of the space age, only a relatively small number of satellites were launched each year and the cost of reaching orbit remained stubbornly high. The breakthrough came when reusable launch technology fundamentally changed the economics.

"That's the fundamental thing that brings the cost down."

Paul points to SpaceX's Falcon rocket programme as the turning point. Instead of discarding rockets after a single launch, components could be recovered and reused, making access to space dramatically cheaper. The result was a step change in activity across the sector and the emergence of entirely new markets and opportunities.

For Paul, this is a reminder that major transformations are often driven not by incremental improvements, but by breakthroughs that alter the economics of a system.

Why the UK punches above its weight

Antonio and Paul then turn to the UK's position within the global space sector, with Paul being clear about one of the country's greatest strengths:

"We have phenomenal universities."

He notes that the UK has four of the world's top ten universities despite accounting for around one percent of the global population. That concentration of research excellence continues to attract talent, investment and innovation.

But research alone is not enough. Throughout the conversation, Paul highlights the importance of translating discovery into practical outcomes. The UK's success comes not just from generating ideas but from creating the conditions for those ideas to become businesses, technologies and public value.

The same principle applies far beyond space. Whether in science, healthcare or public services, innovation depends on connecting expertise with implementation.

Measuring the impact of innovation

One of the less visible but most important parts of Paul's time at the UK Space Agency involved demonstrating the value of investment.

Historically, the sector had strong theories about the benefits of research and development, but less evidence linking specific investments to specific outcomes.

Paul describes work undertaken by the agency to better understand the long-term impact of its funding and programmes. The challenge was not simply proving that innovation matters, but showing where value is created and how it flows through the economy.

It is a theme that resonates far beyond space. Public investment increasingly requires evidence, accountability and a clear understanding of outcomes.

Personalised public services

The conversation then broadens into the future of public services.

For Paul, one of the most significant opportunities created by technology is the ability to design services around people rather than expecting people to adapt to systems.

Reflecting on healthcare, he challenges assumptions that have shaped service design for decades.

"The idea that they are going to be able to call at eight or eight thirty in the morning and get a GP appointment... it's for the birds."

Instead, he argues that digital tools create opportunities to support people in ways that fit their lives and circumstances. The same logic applies in education, where technology could help accommodate different learning styles and personalise support in ways that have previously been impossible.

The goal is not simply digitisation. It is redesigning services around what people actually need.

Start with people and technology

Towards the end of the conversation, Antonio asks Paul what excites him most about the future. His answer returns to a frustration he has carried throughout his career.

Too often, he argues, strategy documents place workforce and technology at the bottom of the page under a heading such as "enablers". For Paul, this gets the logic backwards.

"The two most important things that you've got are your people and disruptive technologies."

Rather than treating technology as something that supports an existing operating model, organisations should begin by asking what becomes possible when talented people are equipped with new tools and capabilities.

"Why don't we flip it around the other side?"

It is a fitting conclusion to a conversation that ranges from rockets and satellites to healthcare and education. While the examples differ, the underlying lesson is consistent: lasting transformation happens when innovation is treated not as an add-on, but as the starting point for redesigning systems around better outcomes.

The Next 20 is a celebration of 20 years of The PSC making public services brilliant. We're looking at lessons from the past, while also considering the biggest challenges in the next 20 months, and the biggest opportunities in the next 20 years. Explore our other episodes on your preferred podcast platform. 

For more information about The PSC’s work across the space sector, get in touch with Antonio Weiss.