Space Is a ‘Sector Like No Other’: New DSIT Head Peter Kyle Makes First Speech

The newly-appointed Secretary of State and Chair for the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kyle, has spoken highly of the UK space sector, calling it a “sector like no other”, in his first speech since the election.

UK Space Sector Praised by Peter Kyle

MP Peter Kyle made his inaugural address as the DSIT leader at the 2024 Farnborough Airshow on Monday, and highlighted his personal admiration of the industry.

Kyle was first appointed to the Shadow Secretary of State role in September and stated he was “as keen as possible” to meet with people working in the sector.

“Something I noticed straight away, whether it was in aviation aeronautics or in space, is that every single person that I met is so dedicated to the sector, and you go way beyond what I’ve seen in many other sectors,” he said.

”The sheer doggedness, the sheer passion that I’ve seen in every single company; every single university… in every aspect of space, shows me that this is a sector like no other,” he said.

“It’s a sector being driven by people who are so incredibly passionate about the industry, about their innovations, and about their contribution to it.”

Kyle added, “It is clearly infectious, and I have been affected by their enthusiasm and drive.”

‘All sectors need to learn from space’

The DSIT Chair took the opportunity to re-state the government’s commitment to the industry.

“There is no better example than the space sector, which explains what we are trying to do as a government,” he said.

“Today, the UK space sector is growing four times faster than the overall UK economy, its workforce is twice as productive as the British average.”

“All sectors need to learn from space, and space needs to lead the way,” Kyle said.

Kyle also acknowledged that the space sector is an essential asset to improve public services, civilian and military communication and navigation capabilities, accelerate climate action, and keep the country safe.

”In an increasingly unstable world, space will matter more than ever,” he said.

It comes as UK Space Agency CEO Paul Bate announced a slew of multi-million-pound funding schemes and awards for dozens of innovative companies bolstering the UK’s space industry.