Developing the Space Sector in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc – Rising to the Challenge
Marketing
An independent report on the themes and capabilities in the space and related sectors within the Oxford-Cambridge Arc has now been published. This report was prepared for the Satellite Applications Catapult and the UK Space Agency by Red Kite Management Consulting, and sets out a vision and action plan to maximise the potential of space-related activities across the Arc.
The challenges around clean growth, the environment, transport and health issues within the Arc are a microcosm of what the UK faces nationally. With capacity and its space sector link, the report proposes that the Arc address these issues with a market focused approach to innovation. With continued investment, collaboration, foundational skills development and workspace focus, the required breakthrough to solving regional Arc challenges can be achieved. These solutions can then be extrapolated and applied nationally, even internationally.
The report identifies synergy between the growth objectives set for the space industry and local Arc industrial strategies, and reflects on the unique capabilities and expertise within the Arc to realise these ambitions. Seven adjacent sector opportunities are also identified which are aligned to the space sector with potential markets and which have potential growth advantage within the Arc.
With insight, the vision, recommendations and required action plan for developing the Arc Space Sector are summarised detailing the required ‘Rising to the Challenge’ process. Realising this vision has to potential create both regional and global leadership for the Arc and the report calls upon the high concentration of expertise within this region to execute on this plan.
The report concludes with confidence that the Arc will Rise to the Challenge. Details of six recommendations in a 35-point action plan are described to put the vision in place to trigger pivotal innovations in the Arc. When scaled up, these innovations will have economic benefit and impact across the entire UK.
