UK Space Agency chief executive Paul Bate will step down from his role at the end of March, ending a four-and-a-half-year tenure during which the agency secured record funding commitments and expanded its astronaut and science programmes.
The agency said in a post on LinkedIn that under Bate’s leadership it had “secured record investment at two ESA Councils of Ministers, welcomed three new UK astronauts, and expanded national space funding,” highlighting milestones achieved during his term.
Bate’s departure comes as the UK Space Agency is set to become part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), a structural change that he said made this an appropriate moment for a leadership transition.
“To be trusted to deliver the government’s civil space ambitions, and to lead an agency of expert professionals who are passionate about their craft, has been the greatest privilege of my career and proof that space is a team sport,” Bate said in a statement.
Beyond programme growth, data from the National Audit Office shows operational changes at the agency during Bate’s tenure. The NAO reported that staff turnover at the UK Space Agency had previously been around 25% but fell to 15% in the 2023–2024 period, a shift that observers say will form part of Bate’s longer-term legacy.
Since announcing his departure, Bate has received messages of support and praise from colleagues and partners across the space sector on LinkedIn, reflecting his profile within the UK and European space communities.
Looking ahead, Bate said the incoming chief executive would take on what he described as “one of the best jobs in the civil service,” leading a restructured agency tasked with delivering innovation and world-class science across space, working closely with ministers and integrating policy, strategy, delivery and technical expertise.
The UK government has not yet announced a successor or outlined the timeline for appointing the next chief executive.
