The document summarizes feedback from a UK workshop focused on opportunities in the US space market. Attendees identified strengths like small satellites and deployable systems, but also weaknesses such as a limited domestic market and technical base. Barriers to the UK exporting more to the US included difficulty seeing requirements, lack of direct marketing, and integrated US companies. The conclusion was that a strategy was needed to develop exports to major US buyers through improved promotion, intelligence, cooperation and connecting with investors.

1. Feedback from USA workshop
Dr. Jaime Reed, Space Growth Partnership / Airbus

2. USA Workshop
 USA identified as largest space market
 Survey confirmed interest in the USA
 A mature market with plenty of competition  a huge challenge
 Held at the Satellite Applications Catapult, 18th September
 26 attendees
 Presentations from DIT, UKSA, SA Catapult, Oxford Space Systems,
Honeywell, SSTL
 Interactive session on strengths/weaknesses & barriers
 Clear that relative strengths/weaknesses not understood

3. Barriers
Buyers
• Difficulty to see roadmaps / requirements
• UK not directly marketed – not visible
• Complexity of accessing downstream buyers
• US companies often highly integrated
Promotion
• UK vocabulary upstream/downstream is not
known or articulated
• UKSA/NASA use different terminology
• Value of getting in front of buyers
• Trade missions not flexible/responsive enough
• Cost/focus – need to do research
Trade barriers
• Barriers to the US include regulations,
language and cost of entry
• Meeting buyers is difficult, can we get them to
the UK?
• UK licensing can be slow
Partnerships/Collaboration
• R&D partnerships important to build credibility
and relationships
• Attracting US FDI to the UK can then create
export opportunities to US
• Need to develop links with US universities on
projects which then transition to commercial
opportunities

4. Exports to the USA
SWOT (based on workshop)
Strengths
• Small satellites, digitally processed payloads,
detectors, thrusters, ferrite switch technology,
electric propulsion, sat coms (esp mobile),
deployable systems, space weather
• Low labour cost & tax
• Joined up gov/industry
• Common standards & regulation
• UK intellectual capital
• Access to European market & ESA
Weaknesses
• Small domestic market
• Limited technical base and value chain
• Relative lack of agility at scale
Opportunities
• Access to US market easier in UK
• Strategic relationship
• Launcher programme
• Depreciating pound
• UK/USA trade deal
Threats
• Brexit could lead to a period of confusion
• UK/USA trade deal
• Trump effect & BUY AMERICA

5. Conclusion
 A HVC for the USA seems feasible given the pipeline
 We are going to develop a strategy for the USA
covering:
 Exports to major buyers
 Exports promotion
 Improved market intelligence
 The UK value chain
 Ideas for cooperative R&D topics & cooperation
 Connecting to investors (e.g. InnovateUK missions)