As the UK space sector enters a new phase of restructuring, the head of the national space body is preparing to step aside. UK Space Agency confirmed that its Chief Executive Officer, Paul Bate, will leave his role at the end of March as the agency is merged into the British government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Recruitment is now underway for a new director as Bate completes his term after 4.5 years in charge. The agency said the transition is part of a wider government reorganisation plan announced last year to reduce bureaucracy and improve efficiency across departments.
In a statement, Bate said “now is the right time to pass the baton on” as the government prepares to absorb the agency by April. The move will see the UK Space Agency lose its status as a standalone body and become part of the central science and technology department.
The UK Space Agency was established in 2010 to provide the country with a dedicated organisation to manage civil space policy, regulation, and investment. Its mandate has included coordinating national space programmes and supporting the growth of the domestic space industry.
According to the agency, its work helped generate at least £2.2 billion in investment and revenue for the UK space sector in the 2024–2025 financial year. This contribution came through policy support, regulatory oversight, and public and private sector collaboration.
The government has said the integration is designed to streamline decision-making and improve coordination between space policy and broader science and innovation priorities. Officials believe the shift will strengthen oversight while speeding up delivery of key programmes.
Bate’s departure marks the end of a leadership period that coincides with rising commercial activity in the UK space market and growing government focus on efficiency and reform. His exit also signals the start of a new operating model for the agency as it becomes part of a larger departmental structure.
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