STRATEGY
At RSPSoc we are not for the short term, but to represent our members over the long term. As we approach our 75th anniversary in 2027, we operate a strategic approach. Our strategy document sets this foundation you can read it here.
Each year we produce an annual report and impact statement, you can read this here
UK SPACE CONSULTATION: YOUR VIEWS ARE IMPORTANT
The House of Lords Committee on UK Engagement with Space published a call for written evidence for its inquiry to consider UK policies relating to space, and both the opportunities and challenges related to the UK’s engagement with space. It is inviting interested individuals and organisations to submit their views on these issues.
RSPSoc will be responding to this, but wanted that response to be informed by your views. If you are able, can you get back to me by 13th April 2025.
Could you have a quick look at the inquiry questions below and let us know your views (on some or all). You can respond directly to me at membership@rspsoc.org.uk and to the inquiry by clicking here. If you do respond to the inquiry can you also copy your response to me please.
The Committee has the following questions
• The opportunities and challenges relating to the UK space sector, including the comparative strengths of the UK, how the sector’s growth can be supported, and the potential of new space technologies.
• The opportunities and challenges facing space-related businesses operating in the UK, including access to capital, ability to ‘scale-up’, and international competition.
• The existing international partnerships that the UK is involved in, and the potential for future partnerships with both state and commercial actors.
• The importance of the provision of a safe operating environment in space, and how the UK can contribute to this, in particular regarding space weather and space debris.
• The development of international space law and regulation.
• The collaboration between academic institutions, government, and commercial space firms in the UK, including but not limited to space research and development and space spin-out and start-up firms.
• Education and skills; in particular the skills gap in the UK space sector.
• The future of UK space science and civil exploration.
• The impact of space on national security and resilience.
A new PML-led project, funded through the NERC: Natural Environment Research Council Net Zero Aerial Capability (NZArC) programme, aims to revolutionise how underwater environments are mapped, particularly shallow waters like river sections and coastal areas with low turbidity.
Titled ‘A remotely piloted aerial Green LiDAR for mapping bathymetry of shallow waters and elevation of boundary land (Green LiDAR)’, the project involves collaborations with British Geological Survey, National Oceanography Centre, Scottish Association For Marine Science and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), using state-of-the-art aerial equipment to provide underwater mapping (bathymetry) data where other sensors struggle or simply fail to provide solutions.
Aser Mata Torollo, Project Leader and Earth Observation Scientist at PML, commented:
“Mapping of shallow waters is especially vital for studying blue carbon habitats such as mangroves, seagrasses, and tidal marshes as these are some of the most efficient natural carbon sinks on Earth. These habitats store and sequester carbon at rates far exceeding tropical forests but mapping their underwater terrain and estimating carbon storage has been a major challenge”.
While bathymetry of the seabed or rivers can be obtained using other boat and instruments such as multibeam echosounders, these sensors cannot be deployed in very shallow waters. To help deliver mapping of ecologically and economically-important underwater environments that are hard-to-reach, the project has allowed for an innovative RIEGL UK Ltd VQ-840-GL Topo-Bathymetric LiDAR sensor to be obtained along with a dedicated third-party drone platform.
STRATEGY
We have a strategy to help guide us. It is our 75th anniversary in 2027. So, our current strategy will take us to there. You can read it here.
Each year we produce an annual report and impact statement, you can read this here
