Back in October, a rocket was launched into space from Britain for the first time ever but no one re - Polidicks

[img]http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/AEC1/production/_88073744_missilethree.jpg[/img] "Probably the least-heralded event of 2015" [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-35482244[/url] [quote]Scotland has scored another first in space. A rocket from the Hebrides missile range in the Western Isles has become the first vehicle to be launched into space from UK soil. But the achievement almost went unnoticed. It happened in October during an international military exercise in the Atlantic. The aim of At Sea Demonstration 15 was to test the ability of warships to defend themselves against incoming missiles. One of the those incoming target missiles was an American Terrier-Orion two-stage rocket which was launched from the Hebrides missile range in the Western Isles. Playing the part of a ballistic missile, it soared high over the North Atlantic, so becoming the first space vehicle to lift-off from UK soil and leave the Earth's atmosphere. Until now every UK space shot has had to go abroad to be launched. It was an exercise which achieved several firsts in military technology. But this milestone passed almost unmarked. The point was to stop the missile coming down, not watch it go up.[/quote]

Space ≠ orbit

apparently cats is all that matters well there videos/pics anyways

It always baffles me how a powerful country like the UK doesn't have a proper space program.

[QUOTE=Buck.;49673027]It always baffles me how a powerful country like the UK doesn't have a proper space program.[/QUOTE] We're not really all that powerful in all honesty. Plus there's the European Space Agency for space needs.

[QUOTE=Buck.;49673027]It always baffles me how a powerful country like the UK doesn't have a proper space program.[/QUOTE] With our weather we're lucky to get a bottle rocket 15 ft before it gets blown away by a hurricane or storm with the same name as your families estranged uncle who you always hear about but never see.

Wait what? They actually have a space program? I thought the UK space program consisted of a guy in Glasgow throwing whiskey bottles at the moon...

The UK has an astronaut on station at the ISS right now.

[QUOTE=Buck.;49673027]It always baffles me how a powerful country like the UK doesn't have a proper space program.[/QUOTE] Our location very far north of the equator doesn't make it very worth it.

We do, Tim Peake is my goddamn hero

[url]http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/tim-peake-british-astronaut-educates-children-space-ping-pong-1541688[/url] I love Tim Peake, he's doing all he can to educate kids about space while he's up there.

[QUOTE=Sobotnik;49673079]We're not really all that powerful in all honesty. Plus there's the European Space Agency for space needs.[/QUOTE] The UK has one of the largest world GDPs. While we may be politically insignificant, we're pretty important economically.

[QUOTE=Thom12255;49673179]Our location very far north of the equator doesn't make it very worth it.[/QUOTE] Elaborate pls?

That looks like a sounding rocket... the Brits have launched them since the 50's. ...and it bloody well is. [url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrier_Orion[/url]

[QUOTE=Buck.;49673027]It always baffles me how a powerful country like the UK doesn't have a proper space program.[/QUOTE] They do its called the ESA which was a way for European nations to share missile technology while under the guise of peaceful purposes

[QUOTE=gazzy_GUI;49674000]Elaborate pls?[/QUOTE] Most rocket launches take advantage of the rotation of the earth to reach escape velocity (it's already going 1000mph at the equator!)

[QUOTE=Thom12255;49673179]Our location very far north of the equator doesn't make it very worth it.[/QUOTE] You have colonies/territories nearer to the equator though. You could've have done like the French with their space centre in Guiana.

[QUOTE=Buck.;49673027]It always baffles me how a powerful country like the UK doesn't have a proper space program.[/QUOTE] Wouldn't it be better to dump that type of cash into an existing program like the US's or china's?

People in the UK didn't cared because they thought it was another Doctor Who story and they were waiting for the daleks to appear.

[QUOTE=Buck.;49673027]It always baffles me how a powerful country like the UK doesn't have a proper space program.[/QUOTE] I feel like the main reason the US and Russia have such established space capabilities is because of the arms race, during which the UK was sided with the US and could essentially entirely rely on them to do it on behalf of the West. Plus the UK/European budget had to be particularly domestic during that period in order to rebuild infrastructure after WW2.

An obvious example of fantastic stealth technology. It was so hidden no one even noticed it being launched for months. SCIENCE!

[QUOTE=Buck.;49673027]It always baffles me how a powerful country like the UK doesn't have a proper space program.[/QUOTE] I find it ironic that North Korea has more and better infrastructure than the UK to launch rockets.

[QUOTE=Buck.;49673027]It always baffles me how a powerful country like the UK doesn't have a proper space program.[/QUOTE] What we have instead is a large and booming space industry

While UK may not have an impressive space program. It sure has one of the most promising and most interesting space tech in development. A single stage to orbit engine. [url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SABRE_(rocket_engine)[/url] Hopefully to be used in this: [url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylon_(spacecraft)[/url] Tests are scheduled for 2020.

Britain did have a space program back in the '60s and '70s. They launched a few rockets at the Woomera range in Australia; they only ever got one satellite into orbit before giving up on the program however. [URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Arrow"]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Arrow[/URL] [URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prospero_(satellite)"]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prospero_(satellite)[/URL]

[QUOTE=Swebonny;49677359]While UK may not have an impressive space program. It sure has one of the most promising and most interesting space tech in development. A single stage to orbit engine. [url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SABRE_(rocket_engine)[/url] Hopefully to be used in this: [url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylon_(spacecraft)[/url] Tests are scheduled for 2020.[/QUOTE] I remember I started an SH thread on Skylon a while back. Apparently the tech has progressed heaps since it got a whopper of a boost in funding.

[QUOTE=shozamar;49674770]I feel like the main reason the US and Russia have such established space capabilities is because of the arms race, during which the UK was sided with the US and could essentially entirely rely on them to do it on behalf of the West. Plus the UK/European budget had to be particularly domestic during that period in order to rebuild infrastructure after WW2.[/QUOTE] The US space program was definitely a part of the arms race but the USA also has near perfect geography for it. Being able to launch from both the east and west coasts for pretty much any inclination.

We don't really have an independent space program but we have a burgeoning private space industry, all sorts of shit going on there atm which is why we're building a spaceport in the next few years

[QUOTE=Swebonny;49677359]While UK may not have an impressive space program. It sure has one of the most promising and most interesting space tech in development. A single stage to orbit engine. [url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SABRE_(rocket_engine)[/url] Hopefully to be used in this: [url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylon_(spacecraft)[/url] Tests are scheduled for 2020.[/QUOTE] The only problem with skylon is that the US will have a whole family of reusable boosters by then, space-x has done it, everything else in the pipeline has either some degree of reusability, eventually they will want to copy space-x, by the time skylon comes to fly its small payload and very complicated nature might not make it viable again It's sad but hopefully if the ssto doesn't work, the engine tech gets used for something

[QUOTE=Sableye;49678160]The only problem with skylon is that the US will have a whole family of reusable boosters by then, space-x has done it, everything else in the pipeline has either some degree of reusability, eventually they will want to copy space-x, by the time skylon comes to fly its small payload and very complicated nature might not make it viable again It's sad but hopefully if the ssto doesn't work, the engine tech gets used for something[/QUOTE]There's no reason why it wouldn't be a viable launch platform at all considering it has a higher specific impulse and is far more fuel efficient (and thus cheaper) than a conventional rocket. Issue is the payload size, but I suppose for customers who can't afford much the Skylon would be a better option. Plus this is all assuming that Skylon will not lead to a rocket with next-generation SABRE engines for additional power. Given the amount of time a rocket flies through the atmosphere it would prooobably be a good idea to have something that can utilize the actual air while it travels through it.