NRSC is a privately-owned organisation having been commercialised during the 1990s from a department within the Royal Aerospace Establishment (now DERA). Our business is in the exploitation of space-based and airborne earth observation data. We employ over 130 staff with a turnover of approximately £7 million per annum.

  Following your suggested scope of response, my detailed comments on the UK space strategy document follow:

(1)  I was disappointed by Lord Sainsbury's foreword to the document, in that he states his instruction to BNSC to "give first priority to telecommunications, navigation and enabling technologies, to support excellence in space astronomy and environmental research". I do not believe that this list of priorities responds to the views expressed in the previous consultation, since it totally ignores the commercial opportunities for the UK in Earth Observation (EO) and, more importantly, it does not address the application of information derived from EO in government and public agency policy setting.

  Moving to the main text itself:

(2)  Paragraph 5 importantly recognises the use of EO in both public and private organisations.

(3)  This use of EO is further recognised in the government aims listed in paragraph 9 and indeed, this paragraph, in my view, is particularly relevant to EO.

(4)  Furthermore, the objectives set out in paragraph 11 of the strategy indicate once more the importance of continued funding for EO.

(5)  The sections in the document addressing competitiveness and Europe with their associated objectives and key actions seem to me to be appropriate at this time.

(6)  I have no comments to make on the sections discussing astronomy and space exploration, telecommunications or navigation (paras 34-57).

(7)  The space strategy correctly, in my view, links funding previously entitled "Earth Observation" to "Environmental Science and Information Services". Paragraph 59 highlights the importance of the UK science business; I would stress the importance of funding work in academia in support of UK industrial objectives (leading to wealth creation in the UK) as well as meeting government needs.

(8)  It is important also that the research councils, particularly NERC, act to correct the skills shortage identified. I would add the importance of training in generic skills such as project management, proposal writing etc.

(9)  I am pleased by the UK's role in developing ESA's Living Planet programme and in particular in those aspects described in paras 61 and 62.

(10)  BNSC should indeed continue to pursue activities developing partnerships and exploitation of EO. I would particularly like to commend the BNSC upon its EO Link programme, although I have my personal doubts that the ADP programme has been as successful as the strategy document suggests.

(11)  Paragraph 66 discusses co-ordination and synergy across the civil/military boundary. I highly support this and hope to see more in this area in the future.

(12)  The EO community have for a long time highlighted the importance of so-called anchor tenants (para 67).

(13)  The suggestion in para 67 that BNSC has some work to do in this area is welcome. I strongly believe that government has an important role in developing this sort of commitment.

(14)  It is also important to recognise the role of public sector organisations who manage infrastructure and facilities which constitute valuable resources in this area. Although I strongly support the wider exploitation of such government supported infrastructure, I would like to emphasise the importance of this being done in partnership with industry, to ensure a fair commercial operation.

(15)  I am pleased to note (para 70) that the strategy recognises that demand for EO is public sector-led. The strategy states that over half of revenue, even in 2002, will come from government, with international organisations as the next largest customer group. Government must recognise the importance of developing these public sector markets for EO and EO-derived information services. I am concerned that UK interpretation of EC state-aids rules has not recognised this and as such the funding rules associated with current and previous BNSC applications development programmes are fundamentally inappropriate.

(16)  I strongly support the comments in paragraph 71-74, recognising the importance of market-oriented EO missions, particularly in using Synthetic Aperture Radar and hyperspectral techniques. The strategy also recognises the importance of integrated digital information systems and small satellites.

(17)  On international collaboration, I would comment that I have never been impressed by the results of large programmes such as CEOS and IGOS (para 77).

(18)  Noting the direction of the press notice, I will not comment upon the military use of space (paras 78-83).

(19)  Regarding paras 84-92 on enabling technologies, I believe these are important but consideration must be given to the balance of funding between space hardware and application development.

(20)  I have no particular comments on the sections addressing small satellites, technology transfer, launch systems and space environment, improving the knowledge base, or life and physical sciences.

23 February 2000