Consultation finalised on environmental objectives for the Space Industry Act 2018

The Space Industry Act 2018 has introduced opportunities for those with expertise in clean technologies within the UK space industry.

Following from our last article about opportunities for clean technology businesses in the space industry (here), the UK government has now finalised its consultation on the environmental objectives for the implementation of the Space Industry Act 2018 and associated guidance.

As a quick recap, the Act, which creates the legal framework for spaceflight activities to be carried out from the UK, requires launch or spaceport licence applicants to submit an assessment of environmental effects as part of their licence application. The guidance sets out how the government expects the spaceflight regulator (i.e., the Civil Aviation Authority) to interpret environmental objectives when looking at applications and generally when exercising its functions under the Act.

With the consultation finalised, the guidance is now available (here) and it explains:

• what the environmental objectives are;
• how the objectives fit with overarching environmental policies; and
• how the regulator should interpret these objectives when assessing applications by launch operators for spaceport licences.

We can report that no material changes have been made to the environmental objectives following consultation, which remain to:

• minimise emissions contributing to climate change resulting from spaceflight activities;
• protect human health and the environment from  spaceflight activities emissions impact on local air quality;
• protect people and wildlife from the impacts of noise from spaceflight activities; and
• protect the marine environment from the impacts of spaceflight activities.

If you're contemplating exploring business opportunities in the space sector, we'd be delighted to speak with you and share some of our insights.