A decision on whether Britain will send an astronaut to the Moon, or even Mars, could be taken in little more than a year.

A study announced yesterday of the benefits of manned space mission is expected to report back to ministers early next year. Plans include the creation of an international space headquarters at Harwell, Oxfordshire.

Britain will maintain its commitment to exploration by unmanned craft at least until 2012, mainly through cooperation with Nasa and the European Space Agency.

The document published yesterday, UK Civil Space Strategy: 2008-2012 and beyond, puts as much emphasis on the importance of satellites that make observations of Earth – especially those to assist climate change research – as on spacecraft built to investigate the solar system.

The industry is already worth £7 billion and Ian Pearson, the Science and Innovation Minister, said: “Space technology is a vital part of our everyday life and satellite communications and space technology provide strong business opportunities for the future.”

The study of the prospect of sending British astronauts into space, almost certainly as part of a joint project with the US or Europe, will consider overturning the decision made in 1986 to eschew manned missions.

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