The Royal Society's formative role in UK space research

Abstract

Before the formation of the Science Research Council (SRC) in 1965, the Royal Society played the key role, as both advocate and adviser to relevant government departments, in establishing the foundations of UK Space Research. The Society's Gassiot Committee was instrumental in the creation of a competitive university space research community, preparing the way for the active involvement of the UK in the NASA space science programme, and a leading role in Europe as founding members of the European Space Research Organisation, a forerunner of the European Space Agency. Although the Royal Society's formal responsibilities ended with the creation of the SRC, strong representation of Fellows within the early SRC structure helped ensure the continuity and growing international impact of UK space science. Although investment in space research in the UK subsequently fell well below that of other G7 nations (in GDP terms), the legacy of the efforts of the Royal Society can be found in the continuing high reputation of UK space science and in a strong UK space industry, which has a current annual turnover of £6 billion and a workforce of some 68 000.