£60million boost for UK space technology
The government has upped its commitment to the European Space Agency (ESA) by pledging to spend an extra £60million a year on new space technology.
The investment, announced by Chancellor George Osborne last week during his speech at the Royal Society, is expected to secure the future of the ESA facility in Harwell, Oxfordshire, and create up to 100 new high tech jobs.
Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts said: "This increase will bring the UK's total investment in the ESA to an average of £240m per year over the next five years.
"This will allow the UK to play a leading role in the next phase of European space collaboration. It will drive growth, create extra skilled jobs and help the UK to realise its ambition to have a £30billion space industry by 2030."
