The UK government is being urged to redirect funding earmarked for space projects to hospitals, as investors lose trust in the country's space industry.
Senior figures at Welsh satellite maker Space Forge have spoken to the Parliamentary Science and Technology Committee about regulatory delays and "jarring" interactions with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
“Quite frankly, it costs us more to license our satellite for launch than it did to launch it,” Joshua Western, the company's chief executive, told MPs.
Space Forge was hoping to become the first company to successfully bring a satellite back down to Earth following VirginOrbit's Start Me Up mission. However, Space Forge lost its satellite after a dislodged fuel filter on the LauncherOne rocket caused an engine to overheat and shut down the mission.
The Welsh company has now expressed doubts that it would be onboard for any future launch in the UK.
Patrick McCall, Space...