UKSA makes moves to cut red tape.

Summary

T-Minus Space Daily – "UKSA Makes Moves to Cut Red Tape"

Podcast: T-Minus Space Daily (N2K Networks)
Episode Date: August 20, 2025
Host: Maria Varmazes
Producer/Contributor: Alice Carruth

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Episode Overview

This episode focuses on the UK government’s decision to move the UK Space Agency (UKSA) under the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), aiming to streamline operations and reduce red tape. The host, Maria Varmazes, explores the reactions from government officials, the industry, and her producer Alice Carruth (a UK native), highlighting what this could mean for UK space ambitions. Additionally, the episode covers major space sector updates, including contracts, investments, upcoming launches, and a surprising discovery around Uranus.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. UK Space Agency’s Organizational Shift

Time: 01:04–08:02

• Announcement Details: The UK Space Agency will become part of the DSIT by April 2026. The goal is to "cut duplication, reduce bureaucracy and put public accountability at the heart of decision making."

  • The UKSA will retain its name and brand and integrate experts from both organizations.

• Government’s Perspective:

  • The government says the change will “bring together the people who shape policy and those who deliver it.”

• Sector Reactions:

  • Sir Chris Bryant (UK Space Minister):

    “Bringing things in-house means we can bring much greater integration and focus to everything we are doing while maintaining the scientific expertise and the immense ambition of the sector.” (03:22)

  • Dr. Paul Bates (UKSA CEO):

    “Having a single unit with a golden thread through strategy, policy and delivery will make it faster and easier to translate the nation's space goals into reality.” (03:48)

  • UK Space Cluster Network issued a statement viewing this reorganization positively, aiming for "an integrated, connected one government approach," and emphasizing collaboration with national and international partners to empower business, public services, and research.

• Host Commentary:

  • Maria notes the change could be more positive than headlines suggest but acknowledges transitions can be bumpy.
  • She emphasizes hope that the UK's international reputation in space will remain strong.

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2. Industry and Sector Updates

Time: 04:38–07:59

• BlackSky & HEO Contract:
  • BlackSky signs a significant contract with HEO to deliver fully automated, low-latency Non-Earth Imaging (NEI) services.
  • HEO’s platform will allow autonomous identification, tasking, and analysis of orbiting objects, valuable for space domain awareness, defense, and anomaly detection.
• Ursa Space & Sumitomo Investment:
  • Ursa Space Systems secures a strategic investment (amount undisclosed) from Sumitomo Corporation of Americas.
  • Purpose: expand operations in Asia, especially Japan, using Ursa’s automated geospatial platform.
• Upcoming Launches:
  • Blue Origin’s New Shepard (scheduled Saturday): Will fly over 40 payloads, including 24 NASA TechRise student experiments and thousands of postcards from Club for the Future. It offers over three minutes of microgravity for a diverse set of research projects.
  • SpaceX CRS-33 Mission:
    • Brings an innovative orbital data center (collaboration between Axiom Space and Red Hat) to the ISS, aiming to test data storage and real-time processing crucial for future commercial space stations.
    • Uses open-source technology to enable broad collaboration and innovation.

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3. UK Perspective – Reaction from Alice Carruth

Time: 08:02–08:27

• Alice Carruth (Producer & "Resident Brit"):
  Expresses cautious optimism, highlighting Scotland’s status as the largest satellite manufacturing hub outside California.

  “I'm going to remain optimistic about the change, but I implore my UK colleagues to make sure that the messaging on why space is so important remains at the forefront of this move. I'd be gutted to see any setbacks on the progress that's been made in the last decade or so.” [08:13]

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4. Other Space News & Selected Readings

Time: 08:33–08:41

• ESA: European Space Agency backs a Hungarian project to improve space weather forecasting.

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5. Notable Science News: JWST Discovers New Moon Around Uranus

Time: 10:52–14:33

• Discovery Overview:
  • JWST has identified a tiny new moon orbiting Uranus, now the 29th known moon of the planet.
  • The moon is just 10 km across and blends in due to similar reflectivity to Uranus.
  • It occupies an orbital plane between moons Bianca and Ophelia, with a nearly circular orbit.
  • Astrophysicist Mariami El Muttamid suggests this orbit indicates the moon formed near its current location.
• Host Commentary:
  • Maria injects humor and awe at the discovery, noting the Shakespearean tradition in Uranian moon names and the irony of its “chuckle worthy” planetary name paired with “the most beautifully named moons.”
  • The provisional designation for the new moon is "S/2025 U1."

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Notable Quotes

• Maria Varmazes (Host):

  “Cue the panic and bold statements of the UK no longer having a space agency. But behind the sensational headlines, there actually seems to be much more in the story.” [02:08]

• Sir Chris Bryant (Space Minister):

  “Bringing things in house means we can bring much greater integration and focus to everything we are doing while maintaining the scientific expertise and the immense ambition of the sector.” [03:22]

• Dr. Paul Bates (UKSA CEO):

  “Having a single unit with a golden thread through strategy, policy and delivery will make it faster and easier to translate the nation's space goals into reality.” [03:48]

• Alice Carruth (Producer):

  “I'd be gutted to see any setbacks on the progress that's been made in the last decade or so.” [08:21]

• Maria Varmazes — On the new Uranian moon:

  “Webb just found a new moon around Uranus and it's tiny. I'll wait a sec because I know everyone's chuckling right now. Okay, let's go.” [10:58]
  “It has always been the height of irony to me that the Plan, the chuckle worthy name in English, has the most beautifully named moons.” [13:02]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• UKSA Organizational Change: 01:04–08:02
• Industry Contracts & Investments: 04:38–07:59
• Alice Carruth on UKSA Move: 08:02–08:27
• Selected Readings (ESA Project): 08:33–08:41
• JWST Discovery – New Moon: 10:52–14:33

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Episode Takeaway

The episode spotlights the UK government’s move to streamline its space ambitions by better integrating policy and delivery through the UKSA’s shift into DSIT. Though open to criticism, key leaders and industry voices express optimism for improved coordination, less bureaucracy, and continued scientific excellence. The episode also underscores significant business activity in the global space sector, upcoming launches, and a lighthearted but intriguing update from deep space research. The tone blends measured analysis with enthusiasm for space advancements and the quirky charm of its historical traditions.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign you're listening to the N2K space network.

[B]

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[A]

Foreign Today is August 20th, 2025. I'm Maria Varmazes and this is T minus T minus 20 seconds to Los T Drift SpaceX's 33rd Commerc Supply Services mission for NASA to carry an orbital data center to the iss. Blue Origin's New Shepard is scheduled for launch on Saturday, carrying over 40 payloads to space. Ursa Space Systems has announced a strategic investment from Sumitomo Corporation of America. Blacksky has signed a seven figure contract with HEO to provide fully automated low latency non earth imaging services for defense, intelligence and commercial use. The UK Space Agency will become part of the Department for Science, Innovation and technology by April 2026. Happy Hump Day y', all and thanks for joining me. And boy are we tackling a hump today with the announcement that the UK Space Agency is to become part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. Cue the panic and bold statements of the UK no longer having a space agency. But behind the sensational headlines there actually seems to be much more in the story. So the press release on the move shared that the reasoning behind UKSA being moved into the dsit, or Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is to cut duplication, reduce bureaucracy and put public accountability at the heart of decision making. That doesn't sound so bad, does it? The UK government says. More simply, the change will bring together the people who shape policy and those who deliver it. Now, as of April of next year, UKSA will be part of dsit. The new unit will keep the UKSA name and brand and will be staffed by experts from both organizations. So what are folks saying about this announcement? The UK's space minister, sir Chris Bryant, says bringing things in house means we can bring much greater integration and focus to everything we are doing while maintaining the scientific expertise and the immense ambition of the sector. And Dr. Paul Bates, who is the CEO at the UK Space Agency, says, I strongly welcome this improved approach to achieving the government's space ambitions Having a single unit with a golden thread through strategy, policy and delivery will make it faster and easier to translate the nation's space goals into reality. Now outside of the government, the UK Space Cluster Network also seems to be taking this positive spin, saying it is reorganizing its structure to best deliver an integrated, connected one government approach to space. This is to optimize how the UK works with national and international partners on our joint ambitions for space, including empowering business, public services and cutting edge research and innovation that delivers a thriving and impactful space economy. Now, regardless, change is always difficult and we are sure there are going to be more bumps in the road here. But hopefully the UK's role in the international space industry does not diminish with this move. Moving on now, Blacksky has signed a seven figure Gen 2 Space Domain Awareness Expansion contract with HEO to provide fully automated low latency non earth imaging or NEI services for defense, intelligence and commercial use. The Imagery Data Services deal is now moving into its fourth phase. After completing the automation of the entire tasking delivery process, HEO's software platform will autonomously identify imaging opportunities and task BlackSky's high resolution Gen2 satellites to detect, track, characterize and classify objects in orbit, as well as assess potential threats and predict their effects. Black sky satellites fly in mid inclination orbit and are expected to increase the feasibility of capturing NEI data over the middle latitudes of Earth at certain times and certain places. The rapid tasking and delivery of NEI are expected to support critical space domain AW awareness applications including constellation monitoring and anomaly detection. Ursa Space Systems has announced a strategic investment from Sumitomo Corporation of Americas. Ursa Space delivers insights derived from commercial Earth observation data and the company's geospatial platform claims to provide rapid, scalable and automated remote sensing solutions to decision makers across the commercial sector, and the company plans to use the undisclosed amount of funding to expand their operations across Asia, particularly in the Japanese market. Blue Origin plans to launch an uncrewed New Shepard as early as Saturday, and the rocket will carry more than 40 payloads instead of its usual slew of space tourists. The payload manifest includes 24 experiments from NASA's TechRise Student Challenge, along with thousands of postcards on behalf of Club for the Future, which is Blue Origin's steam focused nonprofit. The mission will provide over three minutes of microgravity for experiments from a range of organizations including NASA Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Oklahoma State University, University of Florida, Carthage College, University of Central Florida Teledyne Space Lab Technologies and Teachers in Space, among others. The launch window opens at 7:30am local time in Van Horn, Texas. SpaceX's 33rd commercial resupply services mission for NASA is due to launch to the International Space Station this week. Onboard the cargo mission will be an ISS National Lab sponsored project bringing an orbital data center to leo and the project will test the system's ability to provide increased data storage and real time data processing in space, which are crucial capabilities for future commercial space stations. The data center is run as a collaboration between Axiom Space and open source software leader Red Hat. The data center software was developed using open source technology which encourages collaboration and innovation from developers around the globe. We are really looking forward to seeing how this data center works. I am actually really stoked for this also and we will bring you updates when they are available. And that wraps up today's top five stories from across the space industry for you. And this is where I bring in producer Alice Carruth to talk about the other stories that are making today's headlines. And but first, Alice, as our resident Brit, what do you think about the UK SA story?

[C]

You know Maria, I left the UK before UKSA was established, but I've always had high hopes for the agency as the uk, well, Scotland in particular is the largest satellite manufacturing hub outside of California. I'm going to remain optimistic about the change, but I implore my UK colleagues to make sure that the messaging on why space is so important remains at the forefront of this move. I'd be gutted to see any setbacks on the progress that's been made in the last decade or so.

[A]

100% agreed. So what other stories do we have in today's selected reading section of our show?

[C]

Notes Just one additional link in there for you today. It's on the European Space Agency's move to back a Hungarian project to improve space weather forecasting.

[A]

And a reminder to all of you lovely listeners out there that the links to all of the stories mentioned throughout the show can be found on our website, which is Space in addition to the show notes that are on the podcast platform that you are listening to us on right now. Hey T minus crew, if you find our podcast useful, please do us a favor and share a five star rating and short review in your favorite podcast app. It'll help other space professionals like you to find our show and join the T minus crew. Thank you so much everybody. We really appreciate it. Foreign we'll be right back.

[B]

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[A]

Welcome back. Hey everybody. New finding using the JWST just dropped and I have been waiting all day to tell you about it. Okay, here goes. Webb just found a new moon around Uranus and it's tiny. I'll wait a sec because I know everyone's chuckling right now. Okay, let's go. The Southwest Research Institute used data from Webb to take a good look at Uranus. And as often happens when we take a look at the gas giants in the outer solar system, we find even more moons. So now the count for Uranus is up to 29, and the newest found moon is a mere 10km across and likely because it has the same reflectivity or albedo as Uranus itself, It blended in with the planet when Voyager 2 did its flyby decades ago in 1986 and evaded detection rather well. Uranus's albedo say that five times fast anyway. But Webb's Nircam instrument is quite the detective and studied Uranus and found something new in the planet's inner belt of moons with the New Moon's orbital plane between the existing known moons Bianca and Ophelia. Apparently it has a nearly circular orbit, which leads scientist Mariami El Muttamid to say that this indicates that this new moon may have formed near its current location. Remember, one of the many reasons that Uranus is so fascinating and no, it has nothing to do with its name in English is because it spins its side. Could it have been smacked by some kind of collision that turned it sideways and gave it the many moons that we are still finding? So many questions. So back to our new tiny moon. No new name has been chosen for the moon just yet. It is currently referred to as Moon S 2025 U1. But as you might know, Uranian moons have largely a Shakespearean flavor to them, many named after characters from A Midsummer Night's Dream and the Tempest. And it has always been the height of irony to me that the Plan, the chuckle worthy name in English, has the most beautifully named moons. And undoubtedly there are still many moons we've yet to find around Uranus. And that's T minus Brought to you by N2K CyberWire we'd love to know what you think of this podcast. Your feedback ensures we deliver the insights that you keep you a step ahead in the rapidly changing space industry. If you like this show, please share a rating and review in your podcast app. Please also fill out the survey in the show notes or send us an email to space2k.com we'd love to hear from you. We are proud that N2K CyberWire is part of the daily routine of the most influential leaders and operators in the public and private sector. From the Fortune 500 to many of the world's preeminent intelligence and law enforcement agencies, N2K helps space and cybersecurity professionals like you grow, learn and stay informed. As the nexus for discovery and connection, we bring you the people, the technology and the ideas shaping the future of secure innovation. Learn [e-mail] N2K's senior producer is Alice Carruth. Our producer is Liz Stokes. We are mixed by Elliot Peltzman and Trey Hester with original music by Elliot Peltzman. Our Executive producer is Jennifer Ivan. Peter Kilby is our publisher and I am your host, Maria Varmazas. Thanks for listening. We'll see you tomorrow. T minus.

[D]

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