Some nice comments from the director of a UK NewSpace SME in response to my submission to the BNSC Space Exploration review (name of company redacted):

Your comments were comprehensive in nature and covered some issues which we have also promoted at various times, notably the 'plug-and-play' design for spacecraft service modules.

From a primarily commercial point-of-view, this is an area where small design and production houses and developers can make a difference and compete favourably with the larger contractors (sadly, now including Astrium-SSTL). But the opportunity to support emerging integrators in providing standard buses, as well as allowing academia and component manufacturers access to space interfaces and missions, should be pursued with all vigour.

Standardisation of architecture will also reduce overall mission cost, allowing us to fly further and stay longer on a myriad of exotic missions. This is not within ESA's remit, unfortunately, owing to geo return limitations.

We are constantly looking to promote a wider use, awareness and access to space and space-related markets, in order to position the UK, as you rightly highlight, front and centre in the next technological 'gold-rush'. Unfortunately, if we rely on the incumbents, politics and commerce will continue to get in the way of innovation and growth. It is only SME's that provide the flexibility and foresight to allow progress to be measured in such units.

Needless to say, I wholeheartedly agree ;-) I hope to develop my ideas for modular spacecraft (codenamed Beowulf) as time permits...