UK Space Research Articles

Producer Services Research in the United Kingdom

This paper reviews recent research in the United Kingdom on producer services and suggests directions for further research. A recurrent theme in UK-based geographic research into producer services is the role of service activities, establishments, and trade in uneven development of the UK space economy, a role manifested in uneven provision and quality of services in peripheral regions. During the 1980s, overall growth in demand for producer services and the rapid rise in metropolitan London real estate costs reduced London's dominance, but these trends moderated by the end of the decade. In the absence of adequate government statistics, regular and standardized surveys are needed to compile a time series of service change in the United Kingdom. Directions for continued empirical research include the role of producer services in innovation and technology transfer, the implications of information technology for the location of employment in the sector, and the impacts of productivity increases on employmen...

The military and early United Kingdom space policy

For nearly a decade after 1955, the UK military establishment struggled to reach consensus on the military value of space applications. Because of the pivotal role of military technology in all early space activity, and the virtual necessity for some form of military subsidy to go about it, military equivocation had very serious effects on the development of UK space policy as a whole. When, in the early 1960s, a measure of military consensus was achieved, economic straits encouraged alliance with civil interests and maximum co‐operation with the UK's allies.

UK and European space policy

UK space policy has often been characterized as nuclear-if not unwise-by industry commentators and independent observers. ‘Putting Space to Work’, a conference presented on 9 November 1993 by the Royal Aeronautical Society (London), helped shed some light on the subject. Sponsored by the United Kingdom Industrial Space Committee (UKISC) and the British Association of Remote Sensing Companies (BARSC), and supported by the Parliamentary Space Committee (PSC), the conference offered delegates the opportunity to absorb the views of some of the leading lights of the European space community.

Domestic Regions, Overseas Nations, and Their Interactions through Trade: The Case of the United Kingdom

A little-explored facet of the global economy is the way regions within nations and different parts of the international community interact through trade flows. A number of reasons are suggested why this is of interest, especially as far as regional exporting is concerned. These are explored further with respect to exports from UK regions in 1978 and 1986 in terms of the patterns of linkages arising, their significance for the transmission of economic impulses, their possible explanations, their significance for the wider health of the UK space economy, and the logic of stability and change in these relationships. In the ensuing discussion the author suggests what more we need to know to allow a fuller interpretation of these patterns.

The UK parliamentary space committee

In the past few years the UK has become increasingly active as the financial conscience of the European Space Agency. This is not because the UK government has a wish to spend more on its national space effort; it is because it remains unconvinced of the benefits of certain European space activities, notably manned endeavours. In the absence of an effective UK space lobby, the government's policies have remained largely unchallenged. This article traces the growth of the Parliamentary Space Committee in the context of developments in recent European space policy and highlights the need for an active UK space lobby.

Services and the UK Space Economy: Regionalization and Economic Dislocation

This paper is an attempt to break with a certain way of thinking about the role of services in a modem economy. It is argued that an economic discourse which stresses the relationship between services and manufacturing within the framework of a national economy has restricted our ability to think about services as a catalyst of growth, especially in relation to other services and international service 'flows'. An alternative framework is proposed which talks about regional modes of growth in a manner which avoids direct reference to a national economy and the implicit notion that they are driven by some kind of internal dynamic, usually manufacturing based. A contemporary example of a regionalized mode of service growth which spread across London and parts of the south of the country, though little further, is outlined. It is also suggested that the impact of neo-liberal political strategies in the 1980s had the unanticipated effect of defining this mode of growth in a sharper geographical form, brought about in part by a succession of economic dislocations.

UK space policy

Abstract With an eye on the imminent ESA ministerial meeting, the rationale behind the UK government's often criticized assessment of the utility of space activities is explained. The structure of the country's space policy is described and details given of the UK's involvement in ESA programmes.

UK space policy: government response to house of lords committee

UK space policy: government response to house of lords committee

UK space community cheered by contribution to solar research

UK space community cheered by contribution to solar research

Economics of space and the role of government

The author was a member of the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology which conducted and enquiry into UK space policy. He argues that the industrial and technological case for space put to the Committee was insufficiently underpinned by reasoned argument. The article first examines the economic case forgovernment involvement in space. The role of economic analysis is examined; it is concluded that, except in the case of space applications, quantified analysis is usually misleading. In the light of this discussion, the technological case for space and the problems of commercialization are examined.

UK space policy — a problem of culture

According to the UK government, the announcement in July 1987 of a freeze on the British National Space Centre's (BNSC) budget was based solely on lack of money and the belief that private industry, rather than the state, should fund space activities. In challenging the validity of this view, the author suggests that it has also been used to conceal internal bureaucratic competition and a myopic, market-driven mind-set.

The UK's future in space

The UK government's recent announcement that the British National Space Centre could not expect a budget increase has prompted much reaction in the press. The Chief Executive of British Aerospace, a leading company in the UK space industry, here offers his views on the country's future role in space.

Resignation of director of UK space centre causes storm

Resignation of director of UK space centre causes storm

Final blow to UK space plan

Final blow to UK space plan

Surprise money for UK space

Surprise money for UK space

Election further postpones the decision on UK space plans

Election further postpones the decision on UK space plans

UK space plan for government go-ahead at last

UK space plan for government go-ahead at last

Independence for UK space centre?

Independence for UK space centre?

THE UK SPACE INITIATIVE: REMOTE SENSING OF THE ATMOSPHERE AND THE ATMOSPHERE/OCEAN INTERFACE

WeatherVolume 41, Issue 11 p. 361-363 THE UK SPACE INITIATIVE: REMOTE SENSING OF THE ATMOSPHERE AND THE ATMOSPHERE/OCEAN INTERFACE G. Thomas, Search for more papers by this authorJ. Morgan, Search for more papers by this authorA. Henderson-sellers, Search for more papers by this author G. Thomas, Search for more papers by this authorJ. Morgan, Search for more papers by this authorA. Henderson-sellers, Search for more papers by this author First published: November 1986 https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1477-8696.1986.tb03768.xAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume41, Issue11November 1986Pages 361-363 RelatedInformation

The changing urban and regional system in the United Kingdom

Cooke P. (1986) The changing urban and regional system in the United Kingdom, Reg. Studies 30, 243–251. The UK space economy has been subject to important structural shifts of late. The North has a disproportionately large amount of old capital stock and associated industry, and labour-shedding in response to international competition has been massive. The South is increasingly the location for newer, more buoyant economic activity. But there are localities within each area which do not conform to the stereotype. Research on localities enables the finer-grained impact of economic restructuring to be more clearly understood. Preliminary findings from a representative set of seven UK localities suggest that significant change is taking place in the structure of local labour markets, the organization of work, local social structure, politics and policies being pursued locally. Many of the processes characterizing spatial development in the 1960s and 1970s, such as decentralization in manufacturing, services ...