The Scottish Government has unveiled a new strategy which aims to secure a £4 billion share of the global space market and create up to 20,000 jobs.

Published today, the Scottish Space Strategy has been developed as part of a collaboration between the Scottish Government, Space Scotland and the Space Academic Forum.

The ambitious strategy outlines plans to develop a network of satellite launch sites across the country, explore the development of green technologies and build on Scotland’s current expertise in data-driven innovation and research.

Launching the plan virtually at Expo 2020 Dubai, Business Minister Ivan McKee said: “The Scottish Space Strategy demonstrates the determination of our space community to work together to deliver this ambitious agenda.

“Our aims are clear – we want to achieve a £4 billion share of the global space market, deliver a dedicated launch capability as early as next year and create 20,000 jobs in the sector by 2030.

“We will broaden the diversity of the sector, increase its sustainability, exports and inward investment, and enhance education to inspire the next generation of space industry workers.”

The Scottish Space Strategy outlines four key objectives, which include:

• Positioning Scotland as a global leader for commercial space developments
• Establishing a range of managed launched and orbital services, supporting the largest launch capability in Europe
• Developing a world-leading environmental strategy for Scotland’s space industry, from reducing emissions to supporting the use of satellite data for environmental monitoring
• Building Scotland’s international economic opportunities through increased exports and targeted inward investment to plug critical gaps in capabilities

Craig Clark, Chair of Space Scotland, commented: “This strategy represents a landmark in the development of the Scottish space sector and looks to build on the impressive growth and momentum the sector has demonstrated over the past decade.

“The strategy sets out a framework for growth, making Scotland an end-to-end space system provider for the rapidly expanding global market. We have a young, dynamic community of space companies and are ready to take the Scottish space sector to the next level.”

Scottish Space Academic Forum Chair Professor Iain Woodhouse added: “We are fully behind this exciting initiative.  It will be the new talent and scientific innovation coming out of Scottish higher education institutions that forms the bedrock of the Scottish space sector and we are ready to step up and fulfil that role to ensure the strategy is a success.”

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The publication of the Scottish Space Strategy comes at an exciting time for the Scottish space sector, and indeed the broader UK industry.

Across the UK, the space sector is worth more than £16.4 billion to the economy and supports over 45,000 jobs. Since 2016, the Scottish sector has grown rapidly, with the number of space businesses across the country increasing by more than 65%.

With recent projections indicating that the global space economy could be worth around £490bn by 2030, the UK Government has signalled its intent to capitalise on this rapidly growing market space.

Last month, the government published its own National Space Strategy which outlined plans to establish Britain as a global space ‘superpower’. The national strategy pledged to increase investment in science and technology research.