British space programme

The British space programme was a plan by the British government and other interested bodies to promote British participation in the international market for satellite launches, satellite construction and other space endeavours. Significantly, however, it has never been government policy to create a British astronaut corps or to place a Briton on the Moon. Instead the focus has been on unmanned satellite launches.

Origin of the space programme

Scientific interest in space travel existed in the United Kingdom prior to the Second World War, particularly amongst members of the British Interplanetary Society (founded in 1933) whose members included Sir Arthur C. Clarke, author and conceiver of the geostationary telecommunications satellite, who joined the BIS after World War II.

As with the other post-war space-faring nations, the British government's interest in space was primarily military. Early programmes reflected this interest. As with other nations, much of the rocketry knowledge was obtained from captured German scientists who were persuaded to work for the British. The British conducted the earliest post-war tests of captured V-2 rockets in Operation Backfire, less than six months after the end of the war in Europe.

Initial work was done on smaller air to surface missiles such as "Blue Steel" before progress was made towards launches of larger orbit-capable rockets.

British launches

Britain has launched several rockets and satellites. The Ariel programme developed 6 satellites between 1962 and 1979, all of which were launched by NASA. Development of a British launch system to carry a nuclear device took place from 1950 onwards, both in the United Kingdom and at Woomera in Australia. "Falstaff", a British hypersonic test rocket, was launched from Woomera between 1969 and 1979.

Rockets were tested on the Isle of Wight and both tested and launched from Woomera. These included the "Black Knight" and "Blue Streak" rockets and the "Black Arrow", a satellite launching rocket based on the "Black Knight" rocket. "Black Arrow" (R3) launched "Prospero X-3", the first and only British satellite to be launched using an all-British rocket. Communication with the satellite was terminated in 1996.

Cancellation of the government programme

The official British government programme of British satellite launches was cancelled in the early 1970s. However, British participation in space continues through working with other space agencies.

British contribution to other nations' space programmes

Communication and tracking of rockets and satellites in orbit is achieved using stations such as Jodrell Bank. During the Space Race, Jodrell Bank and other stations were used to communicate with several satellites and probes including Sputnik and Pioneer 5.

As well as providing tracking facilities for other nations, scientists from the United Kingdom have participated in other nation's space programmes, notably contributing to the development of NASA's early space programmes [Eugene Kranz, "Failure is not an Option"] , co-operation with Australian launches, the European Union's European Space Agency, modules and apparatus for the International Space Station and a joint Anglo-Soviet launch, Project Juno which launched British astronaut, Helen Sharman OBE.

British astronauts

Because the British government has never considered a manned space flight programme and does not contribute any funding to the manned space flight part of ESA's activities, the few British-born astronauts have launched with either the American or Russian space programmes.

British-born astronauts who have flown in space include:
* Helen Sharman, the first Briton in space, who flew on the Soyuz TM-12 mission.
* Michael Foale, who flew on the STS-45, STS-56, STS-63, STS-84, STS-86 and STS-103 Space Shuttle flights as well as the Soyuz TMA-3, and stayed on both the Mir and International Space Station.
* Piers Sellers, who flew on the STS-112 and STS-121 Shuttle missions.
* Nicholas Patrick, who flew on the STS-116 Shuttle mission.
* Gregory H. Johnson, who flew on the STS-123 Shuttle mission.

Sellers and Patrick are both naturalized United States citizens. Foale has dual citizenship in the United States and the United Kingdom. Johnson is a United States citizen who was born in South Ruislip, Middlesex.

On October 9, 2008, UK Science and Innovation Minister Lord Drayson spoke favorably of the idea of a British astronaut. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7662416.stm Minister wants astronaut 'icon'] ]

Recent British space activities

A revival of the official national space programme was seen in 1982 when the British government officially backed the HOTOL project, an ambitious attempt at a re-usable space plane using air-breathing rocket engines designed by Alan Bond. Work began at British Aerospace. However, having classified the engine design as 'top secret' the government then ended funding for the project, terminating it.

In 1985, a London-based government agency was formed to co-ordinate British contributions to civil space flight, the British National Space Centre (not to be confused with the National Space Centre.)

Britain continues to contribute scientific elements to satellite launches and space projects. The recent British probe Beagle 2, sent as part of the ESA's Mars Express to study the planet Mars, was lost when it failed to respond. Beagle 2 was controlled from the National Space Centre in Leicester. The UK company Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, considered 'The world's leading builder of micro-satellites', has built and launched over thirty satellites to date.

Interest in space continues in Britain's private sector with several British companies developing new designs for space planes for satellite launching or to cater to the new market in space tourism. Virgin Galactic, a branch of the British-based Virgin group owned by Sir Richard Branson intends to sell space flights to the general public using space planes provided by Mojave Aerospace Ventures developed from Burt Rutan's SpaceShipOne. Flights could begin as early as 2008.

British space programme in fiction

Works of science fiction have often described a United Kingdom with an ambitious manned space programme of its own. Notable fictional depictions of Britons in space include:

* "How We Went to Mars" by Sir Arthur C. Clarke ("Amateur Science Fiction Stories" March 1938)
* "Dan Dare, Pilot of the Future" (comics, 1950-1967, 1980s)
* "Journey Into Space" (radio, 1953-1955)
* "The Quatermass Experiment" (television, 1953)
* "Blast Off at Woomera" by Hugh Walters (1957)
* "Fireball XL5" (television, 1962)
* "Space Patrol" (television, 1962)
* "The Goodies" - Invasion of the Moon Creatures(television, 1973)
* "Moonbase 3" (television, 1973)
* "" (television, 1975-1977)
* "Star Cops" (television, 1987)
* "Ministry of Space" (comics, 2001-2004)
* "Hyperdrive (TV series)" ( UK television series, 2006 onwards)

Future of the British space programme

It has been stated by the BBC that the British government would like to continue working with Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, which is a leading space company in the United Kingdom. With a possible funding of up to and around £600,000,000 or around $1.2bn, the U.K. could possibly send two unmanned spacecraft to the moon before the decade is out, showing the world how advanced British technology is and how it can compare with the ESA and even NASA. It is hoped that it will also advertise British industry. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6246513.stm Britain plans first Moon mission] ] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/6268313.stm Brits in space] ]

External links

* [http://www.bnsc.gov.uk/home British National Space Centre]
* [http://www.spaceuk.org History of British rocketry]
* [http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Launchpad/6133/index.html Britain in Space]
* [http://www.spaceuk.org/bstreak/bs/f1.htm Information on "Blue Streak"]
* [http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Launchpad/6133/hotol.html History of HOTOL]
* [http://www.virgingalactic.com/ Virgin Galactic]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7072021.stm UK made 'fundamental space mistake']
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6268313.stm BBC Report on SST]

Other resources

* Hill, C.N., "A Vertical Empire: The History of the UK Rocket and Space Programme, 1950-1971"
* Millard, Douglas, " [http://www.esa.int/esapub/hsr/HSR_36.pdf An Overview of United Kingdom Space Activity 1957-1987] ", ESA Publications.

ee also

*British Rail flying saucer

*British National Space Centre

*National Space Centre (Leicester)

*British astronauts

Notes