A growing opportunity in space innovation

One of the clearest opportunities discussed at the conference was the UK’s emerging leadership in in-space manufacturing.
Panellists highlighted UK companies pushing the frontier of this field, including BioOrbit and Space Forge. These organisations are exploring how the unique conditions of microgravity can enable new manufacturing processes – for example, using zero-gravity crystallisation techniques to develop protein-based cancer treatments or advanced semiconductor substrates.

Across both the conference and our roundtable discussion, participants emphasised that the UK has genuinely world-leading capabilities in areas such as in-space manufacturing and small satellite technologies. A particularly distinctive strength is the close collaboration between universities, research institutions and private companies, which continues to drive innovation across the sector.

At Space Comm, Government representatives also reflected on the UK’s strong position. Baroness Lloyd, Minister for the Digital Economy at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), highlighted that over the past decade the UK space sector has attracted more private investment than any country except the United States.

However, there are still challenges in translating early-stage innovation into long-term commercial success. Alice Bunn, International Director at the UK Space Agency, noted that while the UK excels at identifying promising technologies, companies often struggle to secure later-stage venture capital needed to scale.

A recurring point throughout the conference was the need to “tell the UK space story” more effectively to investors and international partners. Encouragingly, the Government is increasingly prioritising areas where the UK has demonstrated success, including in-space manufacturing and satellite technologies.

Developing this narrative will require a more unified approach across government. It will therefore be interesting to see how the integration of the UK Space Agency within DSIT develops as part of the UK’s emerging “One Government” approach to innovation and industrial strategy.

Participants at our roundtable also emphasised that many of the benefits from emerging space technologies will take time to materialise. Realising these opportunities will require long-term investment, coordination and strategic planning today.

Managing the sustainability challenge in orbit

Alongside this opportunity, many conference sessions highlighted a growing challenge: ensuring the long-term sustainability of the space environment.

As more industries and operators look to space, the number of satellites in orbit is increasing rapidly. By 2030, there could be more than 58,000 satellites in orbit, around six times the number currently operating¹ – and this estimate does not even consider Space X’s recent application for one million new satellites². At the same time, the amount of space debris, including defunct satellites and fragments from previous collisions, is likely to grow significantly.

A more crowded orbital environment creates real operational risks. Satellites may be damaged by debris, and operators increasingly need to perform collision-avoidance manoeuvres that consume fuel and reduce a satellite’s lifespan. The World Economic Forum estimates that collision damage could cost the satellite industry up to $41.8 billion over the next decade, with avoidance manoeuvres costing a further $560 million³. Efficient manoeuvring and effective communication between operators will become increasingly crucial. Since 2022, The PSC has supported the National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC) to provide real-time space surveillance data to operators via the Monitor Space Hazards platform. Visit Monitor Space Hazards or NSPoC’s website to find out more.

However, better space surveillance will not resolve the underlying issue, which is that, as noted by our roundtable participants, space remains one of the few sectors that still operates on a largely disposable model: satellites are launched, used and ultimately abandoned in orbit. This approach is unlikely to be sustainable as the sector continues to expand.

At Space-Comm, speakers on a “Circular Space Economy” panel, including representatives from the UK Space Agency, the European Space Agency, academia and industry, outlined a number of emerging solutions. These include satellites designed to last longer, technologies that enable in-orbit servicing and repair, and systems to safely remove satellites from orbit once they reach the end of their operational life.

Despite promising research, speakers also acknowledged a challenge: commercial incentives do not always align with sustainable behaviour. At the conference, Ray Fielding, Head of Space Sustainability at the UK Space Agency, highlighted the importance of creating regulatory frameworks that encourage responsible practices.

Here, the UK has an opportunity to play a leading international role by shaping the regulatory incentives needed to support a safe and sustainable orbital environment.

Getting the balance right

The conversations at Space-Comm Expo and our recent roundtable point to a sector entering a particularly exciting phase. The UK has strong research capability, innovative companies and growing investor interest across several high-potential areas of space technology.
But this moment also presents an important responsibility. As activity in space accelerates, it will be critical to ensure that growth is supported by the right policy frameworks, international cooperation and sustainability measures.

The UK has the expertise and capabilities to be a global leader in this field. The next step will be to bring together government, industry, academia and investors around a clear and compelling shared narrative - one that captures both the opportunities of the space economy and the responsibility to steward it sustainably.

The PSC is a specialist management consultancy dedicated to making public services brilliant. Visit our Digital pages to find out how our team can support you to tackle complex challenges and opportunities like these in space and beyond. 

Sources 

1. National Space Operations Centre, 2024. The future space environment. 
2. Davies, M. (BBC News), 2026. Musk's SpaceX applies to launch a million new satellites into orbit. 
3. World Economic Forum, 2026. Clear orbit, secure future insight report.