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The Space Industry Act 2018 was introduced to enable space activities from UK spaceports, such as satellite launches and sub-orbital spaceflight. Such activities require a spaceflight operator licence.

International law places the responsibility of activities in space on states. Damage caused by space flight activities could therefore result in claims made against the UK government. The 2018 act stipulates that operators must indemnify the government against such claims, but a spaceflight operator licence does not currently require a limit on the licensee’s liability.

The Space Industry (Indemnities) Bill would amend the Space Industry Act 2018 to require liability limits for spaceflight operator licences. The change seeks to prevent the potential for unlimited liabilities from deterring spaceflight activities in the UK.

The bill is sponsored by Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Conservative). It was sponsored in the House of Commons by John Grady (Labour MP for Glasgow East). The bill’s second reading in the House of Lords is scheduled to take place on 5 September 2025. The government supports the bill, and the Department for Transport has supplied explanatory notes in support of the measure.

Image by NASA on Unsplash.

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