European Space Agency

Through the UK Space Agency, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) leads the UK’s participation in the European Space Agency’s (ESA) policy and programme discussions to ensure all UK investments deliver substantial benefits for our economy, scientific and technological progress, and commercial success, in direct support of our national interests.

We will negotiate at the ESA Council of Ministers next month, new multi-year programmes and funding arrangements that maximise opportunities for UK businesses, researchers, and innovators. The UK Space Agency (UKSA) is proactively consulting with a wide range of stakeholders from across the UK space sector to ensure that the UK’s priorities of economic growth and national security are reflected in the outcomes of the Council, and we will continue to deliver high-quality monitoring and evaluation of the UK’s participation in ESA through a robust framework that assesses impact, value for money, and strategic alignment with national priorities. In August 2025, the UKSA published its latest evaluation of the benefits of the UK's investments in ESA.