HC Deb 11 March 2002 vol 381 cc675-7W
Mr. Wray

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what space satellites that the UK is involved in operating and funding are used for(a) weather, (b).astronomy, (c) spying and (d) other purposes; [41330]

List of operational satellites which the UK Government were involved in funding and/or are involved in operating in whole or in part
Satellite Launch year Category Operator(s) Funding Ownership
ECS-4 1987 Communications ESA Through ESA subscription ESA
Meteosat-5 1991 Meteorological EUMETSAT Jointly funded with the other member states of EUMETSAT EUMETSAT
Meteosat-6 1993 Meteorological EUMETSAT Jointly funded with the other member states of EUMETSAT EUMETSAT
Hubble space telescope 1990 Astronomy NASA Through ESA subscription and NASA NASA
Ulysses 1990 Solar system science ESA/NASA Through ESA subscription and NASA NASA
ERS-1 1991 Earth observation/remote sensing ESA Jointly funded with ESA and its member states ESA
ERS-2 1995 Earth observation/remote sensing ESA Jointly funded with ESA and its member states ESA
SOHO 1995 Solar system science NASA Through ESA subscription ESA
Meteosat-7 1997 Meteorological EUMETSAT Jointly funded with the other member states of EUMETSAT EUMETSAT
Huygens 1997 Solar system science ESA Through ESA subscription ESA
XMM-Newton 1999 Astronomy ESA Through ESA subscription ESA
Cluster 2000 Solar system science ESA Through ESA subscription ESA
Artemis 2001 Communications ESA Jointly funded with ESA (and its member states) and Japan ESA
Envisat 2002 Earth observation/remote sensing ESA Jointly funded with ESA and its member states ESA

List of future satellites which the UK Government have made a commitment to fund or operate in whole or in part
Satellite Launch year Category Operator(s) Funding Ownership
Integral 2002 Astronomy ESA Through ESA funding ESA
MSG-11 2002 Meteorological EUMETSAT Shared funding with ESA (and its and member states) EUMETSAT EUMETSAT
SMART-1 2002 Technology demonstrator/solar system science ESA Shared funding with ESA and its member states ESA
Rosetta 2003 Solar system science ESA Through ESA subscription ESA
EGNOS 2003 Navigation ESA Shared funding with ESA and its member states ESA
Mars Express2 2003 Solar system science ESA Through ESA subscription ESA
Cryosat 2004 Earth observation/remote ESA Shared funding with ESA and its member states sensing ESA
METOP-11 2005 Meteorological EUMETSAT Shared funding with ESA (and its member states) and EUMETSAT EUMETSAT
UK disaster monitoring satellite 2003 Earth observation/remote sensing Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. Joint operation with Algeria's Centre National Des Techniques Spatiales, Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, and other potential overseas collaborating partners Shared funding with Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd., ESYS, Algeria's Centre National Des Techniques Spatiales, Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, and other potential overseas collaborating partners Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.
Gemini 2004 Geostationary satellite communications demonstrator Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. Operating agreement with Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Science and Technology Shared funding with SSTL and Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Science and Technology Surrey satellite Technology Ltd.
Top Sat 2004 Earth observation/remote sensing (high resolution imagery demonstrator) QinetiQ Ltd./Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. UK Government funding ESA
GOCE 2004 Earth observation/remote ESA Shared funding with ESA and its member states ESA
SMOS 2006 Earth observation/remote sensing ESA Shared funding with ESA and its member states ESA

(2) how many space satellites the UK (a) owns and (b) jointly runs and funds; and with whom the joint agreements are. [41329]

Ms Hewitt

The Government's civil space activities are co-ordinated through the British National Space Centre, an interdepartmental body which is situated in my Department. Details of the civil operational satellites, which the Government have contributed to, are listed in the following table.

List of future satellites which the UK Government have tnade a commitment to fund or operate in whole or in part
Satellite Launch year Category Operators) Funding Ownership
ADM 2006 Earth observation/remote sensing ESA Shared funding with ESA and its member states ESA
SMOS 2005 Earth observation/remote sensing ESA Shared funding with ESA and its memberstates ESA
Herschel 2007 Astronomy ESA Through ESA subscription ESA
Plank 2007 Astronomy ESA Through ESA subscription ESA
1 Series of 3
2 Including UK-led lander

The Government also fund instruments to be flown on satellites owned by others—for example the NASA swift and stereo missions. The procurement and operation of satellites for military communications is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence. In addition, licences have been granted to UK companies—for example, Inmarsat, ICO, Surrey Satellite Technology and Europe*Star—to operate particular satellites. Details of these satellites can be found on the regulatory affairs section of the British National Space Centre's website http://www.bnsc.gov.uk/.

Forward to