UK Space Law 2025: Trends & Developments - Navigating Growth & Innovation

Introduction

The UK space sector is experiencing rapid transformation. Evolution is being driven by ambitious government strategy, an openness to commercial investment and developing technology. The government is spearheading a target to make the UK Europe’s leader in space satellite launches and technology.

The two practical developments to be aware of are:

• The Space Industrial Plan (March 2024), a government policy paper focused on delivering action points on the ambitions laid out in the National Space Strategy
• The Space Industry (Indemnities) Bill is under consideration in the House of Commons, which, if passed, would require operator licences authorising the carrying out of spaceflight activities to specify the licensee's indemnity limit

These are tangible developments signalling the move to a state of intertwined commercial innovation and government regulatory oversight. Change will continue to accelerate, and practitioners must be prepared to navigate an evolving regulatory and commercial landscape in order to best support clients’ and partners’ opportunities.

Aimed at aviation lawyers and commercial/corporate lawyers working with aerospace, satellite and space technology businesses, this webinar will provide a general update on UK space law, focusing on regulatory frameworks, existing (and possible future) legislation, and the macro trends and developments that are shaping the UK government and commercial investors’ approach to the sector, both of which will be covered.

You will gain the knowledge to engage meaningfully with and provide advice to clients and stakeholders around UK space law. All while earning strategic insights about the current trends and future developments in the sector. The session will equip attendees to better understand space law and therefore interpret opportunities and risks in the industry.

Hot topic cases:

• Space Industry (Indemnities) Bill (2025) - potential legislation
• SaxaVord Spaceport licensing (2024) - maturation of the UK’s launch licensing regime

What You Will Learn

This webinar will cover the following:

• Relevant and impactful UK (e.g. The Space Industry Act 2018) and international (e.g. The Outer Space Treaty 1967)) legislation underpinning space activities
• Overview of the UK’s Space Industrial Plan (2024), as the vehicle for the delivery of the goals outlined in the National Space Strategy (2021)
• Roles of regulatory bodies, such as the Civil Aviation Authority, UK Space Agency and Ofcom
• Growth and investment in the UK space industry
• Space debris as being a driver of innovation and sustainable strategies
• Liability, indemnity and insurance in UK space law
• Licensing process for orbital and spaceport launches and activities
• The international context - European space law and developments, defence requirements and the UK’s role in multilateralism

This pre-recorded webinar will be available to view from Tuesday 9th December 2025

Alternatively, you can gain access to this webinar and 1,900+ others via the MBL Webinar Subscription. Please email webinarsubscription@mblseminars.com for more details.