The space industry may call to mind images of NASA astronauts, Cape Canaveral and the International Space Station. In other words, a lot of things a long, long way from the UK. However, closer to home, the domestic space industry here in the UK is rapidly growing and is being tipped to have its biggest year yet in 2022.
Back in 2020, the UK government demonstrated its commitment to the space industry with the unveiling of LaunchUK, its commercial spaceflight programme. Through this programme, the UK is seeking to establish UK spaceports offering commercial launches from this year.
LaunchUK involves numerous funding packages, including £99 million for a National Satellite Test Facility, developing relationships with international partners to improve financing and supply chains, and investing in the UK’s spaceflight capabilities through Spaceport Cornwall and a spaceport in Scotland that will support vertical launches.
With the UK government increasingly focusing on the country’s space capabilities, big companies and innovative startups in the UK both helping to drive the commercialisation of space and investors taking an increasing interest in the sector, the UK is forecast to see strong dealmaking in the space industry this year.
There are several trends driving this, with the global space industry having experienced record-breaking years in both 2020 and 2021. However, while this looks set to continue, M&A in the UK’s space sector is complicated by several headwinds that dealmakers may have to traverse if growth is to be translated into a full-on M&A boom.
What’s the current situation?
The key drivers of M&A in the space sector
What potential headwinds does the market face?
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