To support the UK’s £19bn (US$25bn) space economy, the University of Surrey has launched the Surrey Space Institute, which will research three areas: managing water and climate on Earth; strengthening space systems, such as satellite communications and cybersecurity; and developing the tools and legal frameworks needed to explore and operate beyond Earth.
Furthering satellite operations
A key focus for the institute will be helping the UK grow its ability to run full space missions – combining hardware, software, policy and operations to tackle problems such as water security, climate resilience and space sustainability.
The Surrey Space Institute has been developed under the leadership of astrophysicist and pro-vice-chancellor Prof. Bob Nichol, building on foundations that bring together Surrey’s space-related teaching, industry links and research from across engineering, telecoms, cybersecurity, biosciences and law. According to the university, this interdisciplinary approach is at the heart of the new institute’s mission – to rethink how space can support society, the economy and the planet. It will focus not only on building new technologies but also on developing the policies, systems and skills needed to run full space missions that respond to real-world needs.
Prof. Adam Amara will be the inaugural director of the Surrey Space Institute while continuing in his role as chief scientist at the UK Space Agency. He shared, “Space is no longer a frontier activity; it is already a critical national and international infrastructure underpinning everything from climate security to high-speed connectivity. By uniting Surrey’s 45-year leadership in small satellites with cutting-edge AI and cyber-resilience, the Surrey Space Institute will give the UK the decisive capability it needs to stay ahead in the global space race and to solve complex problems at home and around the world.”
Prof. Sir Martin Sweeting said, “When we began work on small satellites more than four decades ago, few believed they could have any serious impact. Today, they’re central to how we explore and understand our world. The launch of the Surrey Space Institute is an exciting new chapter that captures that same entrepreneurial spirit as when we started the Space Centre. But it also reflects a much bigger ambition – to shape how the UK delivers space-based solutions to the challenges we face here on Earth. That means training new kinds of experts, working across disciplines and building systems that are sustainable, inclusive and ready for global deployment.”
The UK’s space sector
The institute will also help small space companies scale up, and will give more people the skills needed to work in this fast-moving sector, helping the UK stay competitive in a global industry. With 52% of UK space organizations reporting critical skills shortages – especially in software, data analysis, artificial intelligence (AI) and systems engineering – the institute aims to train 10% of the UK’s future space workforce through postgraduate degrees, hands-on missions and professional courses.
The launch of the institute aligns with the UK government’s industrial strategy, which recognizes the space sector’s role in economic growth and UK defense capabilities. In 2021/22, the UK space sector generated £18.9bn (US$25bn) in income, up 8% on the previous year, outpacing both the global space sector and the wider UK economy. The sector now contributes £7.2bn (US$9.7bn) directly to the UK’s GDP. It also supports more than 52,000 jobs, most of them highly skilled, and continues to invest heavily in innovation, with £1bn (US$1bn) spent on research and development.
Prof. Tim Dunne, interim president and vice-chancellor of the University of Surrey, said, “The launch of the Surrey Space Institute is a clear step toward delivering our Vision 2041 strategy – bringing together excellent research, industry partnerships and real-world impact. While we are setting our sights on national and global impact, our institute will continue to play a key role in our local economy through our leadership in the Space South Central cluster, where we help to drive growth in one of the UK’s most dynamic regional economies. This means more skilled jobs, more opportunities for local businesses and more reasons for young people to see a future for themselves in space.”
Dr Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency, said, “The launch of the Surrey Space Institute represents exactly the kind of bold, forward-thinking approach we need to maintain the UK’s position as a leader in space. Surrey’s remarkable 45-year track record in small satellites, combined with its vision to tackle real-world challenges from climate resilience to space sustainability, demonstrates how academic excellence can drive both economic growth and societal benefit. As we work to deliver the government’s space ambitions, partnerships like this – bringing together world-class research, industry expertise and skills development – are essential to ensuring the UK space sector continues to thrive and deliver for our economy, our security and our planet.”
In related news, read about a proposal to launch a UK-led satellite mission concept named UK-ODESSI (UK-Orbital pathfinDEr for Space-borne, Space-weather Instrumentation), presented at the Royal Astronomical Society’s National Astronomy Meeting 2025 in the UK. This concept would deploy a suite of homegrown scientific instruments on a low-cost spacecraft in low-Earth orbit to strengthen the country’s space weather observation and forecasting.
