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It's not been a great day for the UK space sector. No prime contracts were won to lead the development of the next six @CopernicusEU satellites. Worse still, the "geo-return" on investment at @ESA_EO barely meets the mandatory minimum. /1 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-53251942
First, though - congratulations to:
@OHB_SE Germany who'll lead CO2M
@Thales_Alenia_S France - CHIME
@Thales_Alenia_S Italy - ROSE-L
@Thales_Alenia_S Italy - CIMR
@AirbusSpace Germany - CRISTAL
@AirbusSpace Spain - LSTM
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@OHB_SE Germany who'll lead CO2M
@Thales_Alenia_S France - CHIME
@Thales_Alenia_S Italy - ROSE-L
@Thales_Alenia_S Italy - CIMR
@AirbusSpace Germany - CRISTAL
@AirbusSpace Spain - LSTM
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To mark its disappointment, @spacegovuk actually abstained during the Industrial Policy Committee vote to allocate the contracts. Some last minute shuffling meant @enersys_absl at Culham will get to supply batteries to CHIME.
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Some monies remain for ground segment work and technology development. New @UKspace chair @NickShave12 says UK will definitely bid for these. He also stayed positive, congratulating those with important sub-contractor roles: @AirbusintheUK @e2vteledyne @NPL @Thales_Alenia_S UK /4
It's clear though that the uncertainty over the UK's long-term role in @CopernicusEU is weighing heavily on British industry. "Third country" membership is part of the Brexit trade talks. A satisfactory resolution to those negotiations can't come soon enough... /5
...not least because a British subscription may be critical in realising some of the new missions this decade. If the UK falls out of Copernicus, the loss of funding could see some of the missions being kicked a long way down the road. /6
One has to doff one's cap to Germany 
. When you walk into a room and slap €518m down on the table (as Germany did at #Space19+ Ministerial Council), this is the leadership position you earn for yourself. /7 https://www.dlr.de/content/en/articles/news/2020/03/20200701_rewarding-contracts-copernicus-hpcm.html
. When you walk into a room and slap €518m down on the table (as Germany did at #Space19+ Ministerial Council), this is the leadership position you earn for yourself. /7 https://www.dlr.de/content/en/articles/news/2020/03/20200701_rewarding-contracts-copernicus-hpcm.html
I've said it before; I'll say it again. Space programmes like Copernicus and the European meteorological satellites are a one-card trick with the card placed face upwards. You can't fail but pick the right card. It's why Germany and France often enter a bidding war. /8
You know that if you put a good chunk of money into the R&D, eventually the taxpayers of other nations will end up paying your engineers to make the spacecraft. You get far more back than you put in. /9
