Space ace

摘要

It is not often you hear UK manufacturers singing the government's praises but, when science minister Ian Pearson launched the new civil space strategy last month, few were more delighted than Colin Paynter, managing director of the UK's largest space company, EADS Astrium.For Paynter the strategy — drawn up to help the UK win an increasing share of the global market in space technology — represents a welcome vote of confidence in an industry that punches well above its weight, employing some of our most skilled engineers and scientists, and contributing about £7bn a year to the economy.