Brexit

ESA moving ahead on new Copernicus missions despite lack of U.K. agreement
With a deadline for an agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union on British involvement in, and funding for, Copernicus come and gone, the European Space Agency is pressing ahead on several missions in the hopes a deal can eventually be reached.

Brexit deal allows UK to continue participation in Copernicus
An agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union will allow the UK to remain in the Copernicus Earth observation program after it formally exits the EU.

U.K. to revise strategy for satellite navigation system
The British government, seeking a replacement for the Galileo satellite navigation system, said it will consider alternatives to an original plan to develop its own satellite constellation.

UK space company Scisys, fearing Brexit, praises decision to become Irish
Scisys Group, a formerly British company involved in the European Union’s Galileo satellite program, says its change of location from Chippenham, England, to Dublin, Ireland, was immediately positive for its space business.

European Space Agency leaders expect a challenging year ahead
Amid difficulties for the European launch industry, and with Brexit looming on the horizon, European Space Agency executives face a challenging year ahead.

UK ends Galileo talks, says it will explore a homegrown alternative
Instead of using Galileo's military-grade signal, Prime Minister Theresa May announced that the U.K. will explore building its own GNSS.

GMV wins 250 million euro ground control contract for Europe’s Galileo navigation system
The company’s contract with the European Space Agency, signed in September, marks the biggest deal for GMV and the biggest for Spain's space industry.

Ariane 5 rocket sends next 4 Galileo satellites into orbit
Arianespace launched the next four Galileo satellites into orbit today, bringing the European Union a step closer to completing its own global navigation satellite system.

EU eyes 16-billion-euro space program for navigation systems, Earth observation, components
The European Commission has unveiled plans to spend 16 billion euros, or $18.6 billion, on a space program to boost the EU’s space capabilities in the years 2021 to 2027.

UK military looking at smallsats to increase space resilience
U.K. Air Chief Marshall Sir Stephen Hillier says the cost-effective technology with its short development cycles would enable the military to always take advantage of the latest technological developments, unlike the traditional slow-paced military satellite projects.

UK hopes new $132 million satellite testing plant will assuage Brexit concerns for space industry
A 99 million pound ($132 million) satellite test facility to be built at the U.K.’s Harwell Campus should bring more business to the space hub here and ensure Britain’s satellite manufacturers can carry on without disruption post-Brexit, according to Chris Mutlow, director of RAL Space, the space division of the U.K. state-run Rutherford Appleton Laboratory here.

UK hopes to stay involved in Copernicus post Brexit
The Oct. 13 launch of the air-pollution-monitoring satellite Sentinel 5P was a bittersweet moment for the UK space sector.

Clyde Space of Scotland says Brexit will have little impact on its business
Scottish small-satellite builder Clyde Space views Britain’s planned exit from the European Union as a non-event for its business given the company’s modest dependence on EU business, Chief Executive Craig Clark said.

Britain’s quitting the EU, but will it be forced out of EU space programs?
The British vote to leave the European Union may occur gradually over two years but raises multiple immediate questions about the consequences for Europe’s space programs and Britain’s role in them.