UK and Ukraine sign space cooperation agreement

The UK Space Agency and the State Space Agency of Ukraine (SSAU) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening collaboration in civil and commercial space activities.

The agreement was formalised at the Embassy of Ukraine in London by UK Space Agency Chief Executive Dr Paul Bate and General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom. It marks the first direct agency-to-agency partnership between the two organisations.

The framework is intended to support closer cooperation between UK and Ukrainian space sectors, enabling greater exchange of expertise and encouraging joint activity in areas of shared interest, from satellite applications to downstream space services.

It also aligns with commitments set out in the UK–Ukraine 100 Year Partnership, agreed in early 2025, which aims to strengthen long-term collaboration across science, technology and innovation.

As part of the agreement, the UK Space Agency will contribute €100,000 to support joint initiatives between the European Space Agency (ESA) and Ukraine’s space sector. The first project, 'Agricultural and ecological monitoring services for Ukraine and Black Sea region (SEN4STATUkr)', will use Earth observation data to improve agricultural statistics and environmental monitoring.

Ukraine’s space sector, which brings together research institutes and industry employing around 10,000 specialists, has expertise spanning launch systems, spacecraft engines, control systems and advanced communications technologies.

Speaking at the signing, Dr Paul Bate said space plays a central role in modern economies, supporting everything from communications and navigation to climate monitoring and infrastructure resilience. He said the agreement would help unlock new opportunities for collaboration and commercial development between UK and Ukrainian organisations.

Volodymyr Mikheiev, Acting Head of the State Space Agency of Ukraine, described the MoU as an important step in strengthening cooperation and enabling closer exchange between the two national space sectors.

The agreement underlines a shared commitment to the peaceful use of space and the development of technologies with wider social and economic benefits.

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