Reuters is reporting that the draft legislation will pave the way for the introduction of a Spaceflight Bill to be introduced to Parliament later this year.
The legislation will allow the launch of space satellites from the country, as well as allowing horizontal launches to the edge of space so that British scientists could conduct medical experiments in a zero-gravity environment.
The new powers would allow the establishment of spaceports around the country, setting out rules and regulations on specific issues such as safety and insurance measures that would need to be developed for commercial operators.
It is entirely possible that the first commercial spaceflight could launch from a UK spaceport by 2020 says a spokesman for the Whitehall department. The U.K. government is inviting commercial space businesses to bid for funding to help create a space-launch market in the U.K. This is vital to the economic success of the space sector, as well as the creation of high-value jobs.
The Herald Scotland reports Science minister Jo Johnson said: “From the launch of Rosetta, the first spacecraft to orbit a comet, to Tim Peake’s six months on the International Space Station, the U.K.’s space sector has achieved phenomenal things in orbit and beyond.”
And while the U.K. is a world leader in satellite technology and services, scientists have to rely on launch services located in other countries such as the U.S., Japan, or India. There can also be delays and restrictions on where satellites can go due to sharing of launch vehicles.
Aviation Minister Lord Ahmed said: “We have never launched a spaceflight before from this country. Our ambition is to allow for safe and competitive access to space from the UK, so we remain at the forefront of a new commercial space age, for the next 40 years.”
