LONDON, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- A joint statement by the Ministry of Defense (MOD), UK Space Agency, and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) on Wednesday said Britain's space sector needed more than 118 million U.S. dollars of work to ensure UK security after the country's exit from the European Union (EU).
The funding has been earmarked to design an alternative to the Galileo satellite system as Britain is concerned that its access to this EU system could be blocked after Brexit.
Sustained disruption to satellite navigation would cost the British economy around 1.3 billion U.S. dollars per day, according to figures quoted in the government statement.
The statement said the UK Space Agency would lead an 18-month study with full support from the MOD. The money has been allocated from a Brexit readiness fund announced in last year's government spending budget.
"The danger space poses as a new front for warfare is one of my personal priorities, and it is absolutely right that we waste no time in going it alone if we need an independent satellite system to combat those emerging threats," said Britain's Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson in the statement.
"Our position on Galileo has been consistent and clear. We have repeatedly highlighted the specialist expertise we bring to the project and the risks in time delays and cost increases that the European Commission is taking by excluding UK industry," said Business Secretary Greg Clark.
Low cost access to space is important for Britain's thriving space sector which builds more small satellites than any other country, with Glasgow building more than any other city in Europe, according to the statement.
