Marcy’s Musings: Operating Without a Rulebook
It’s Only Common Sense: Hire for Hunger, Train for Skill
Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘The 'NVIDIA Way: Jensen Huang and the Making of a Tech Giant’
3,000 Jobs Created in One Year by ‘Resilient’ UK Space Sector
April 15, 2022 | UK Space AgencyEstimated reading time: 1 minute
The number of UK space jobs continued to grow into 2020, despite the global impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new figures released.
Employment in the UK space sector hit 46,995 in 2020, up from 44,040 in 2019: an increase of 2,955 (6.7%).
Sector income increased in nominal terms from £16.4 billion to £16.5 billion, with exports counting for around a third (32%) of this total. Space manufacturing, including satellites, spacecraft, launch vehicles and scientific instruments, grew the most in real terms; up by £23 million to £2.27 billion.
In line with the UK Government’s commitment to increasing public and private R&D spending, investment in research and development saw a 19% boost to £836 million.
Levelling up the space sector is a key priority for the UK Space Agency and there are now 1,293 space organisations located across the UK, with Scotland responsible for around one fifth of the entire UK space workforce. Employment in the sector grew from 7,703 to 8,440 in Scotland, from 415 to 1,109 in Wales, and from 113 to 431 in Northern Ireland.
Spaceports in Scotland, Wales and England are expected to generate more jobs in the coming years, alongside the growth of regional space clusters, international investment, and emerging technologies such as in-space manufacturing and debris removal, supported by the National Space Strategy.
Science Minister George Freeman said, "The £16.5 billion space sector is a major contributor to a strong and secure UK economy, and it’s promising to see it generate thousands of new high-skilled jobs in the face of global economic headwinds. We’re backing this innovative and resilient industry through the largest-ever increase to R&D spending, which includes a significant uplift to the UK Space Agency’s budget, and the delivery of the UK’s first National Space Strategy. As we support new SpaceTech clusters from Spaceports in Cornwall and Scotland to satellite manufacturing and robotics from Glasgow to Warwick to Stevenage, this will help level-up the UK. Looking ahead to the first satellite launches from the UK this year, this is an exciting time for this high-growth sector up and down the country."
The figures published today come from the ‘Size and Health of the UK Space Industry 2021’ survey, conducted by BryceTech on behalf of the UK Space Agency.
Share on:
Testimonial
"In a year when every marketing dollar mattered, I chose to keep I-Connect007 in our 2025 plan. Their commitment to high-quality, insightful content aligns with Koh Young’s values and helps readers navigate a changing industry. "
Brent Fischthal - Koh YoungSuggested Items
MEIKO Electronics Expands ASEAN Footprint with New Vietnam Subsidiary to Support Growing Demand
04/16/2026 | MeikoMEIKO ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. has announced that, at its Board of Directors meeting held on April 8, 2026, the company resolved to establish a wholly owned subsidiary, MEIKO ELECTRONICS YEN QUANG CO., LTD. (MKYQ), in Phu Tho Province, Vietnam.
Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Begins IPM5 Production at Kaynes Semicon Launch in Gujarat
04/16/2026 | Alpha and Omega Semiconductor LimitedAlpha and Omega Semiconductor Limited, a designer, developer, and global supplier of a broad range of discrete power devices, wide bandgap power devices, power management ICs, and modules, marks a historic expansion of its global manufacturing footprint with the official inauguration of Kaynes Semicon’s state-of-the-art OSAT facility in Sanand, Gujarat.
Podcast Hits the Mark in a Materials Market
04/15/2026 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007The base material of a printed circuit board is its literal and functional foundation. Isola, founded in 1912 in Düren, Germany, is one of the longest-standing manufacturers of glass-reinforced laminates in the electronics industry. Originally focused on insulation and fiberglass materials, the company played an early role in supplying the foundational substrates that enabled the growth of PCB technology. As electronics advanced, Isola evolved alongside the industry, expanding from basic glass-epoxy laminates into high-performance copper-clad materials and engineered prepregs.
Inside Eastek Malaysia: Scalable Manufacturing Built on Trust, Stability, and Technical Expertise
04/14/2026 | Eastek International CorporationEastek International Corporation continues to strengthen its global manufacturing platform through the sustained performance and expanding capabilities of its Malaysia operation.
SMTA Ultra HDI Symposium, Day 1: AI at the Core or Out of the Game
04/13/2026 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007It was a beautiful 81°F morning in Arizona last Wednesday as I headed to the third annual SMTA Ultra HDI Symposium, focused on AI and ultra high density interconnect technology. Strategically held as part of Arizona’s Tech Week, this year’s conference took place in Avondale in Phoenix's West Valley. The event moved from the cozy offices of the Peoria Sports Complex (which paid homage to baseball’s spring training world) to the larger Avondale Conference Center, highlighting the importance of this area for electronics manufacturing investment.