UK 'must have human space role'

UK 'must have human space role'

news.bbc.co.uk



At last, some good news for the UK's space efforts. Hopefully this will push the government into agreeing that we do indeed need some sort of 'human space role'.

The british should have a role in space.their engineers and scientists are equal to their counterparts in the U.S.Ive always thought they havent pursued this is their budgetory limitations.Is this not so???

Originally posted by Xfile
The british should have a role in space.their engineers and scientists are equal to their counterparts in the U.S.Ive always thought they havent pursued this is their budgetory limitations.Is this not so???

Yeah, I know that the UK's space efforts department (whatever it is named) is never given enough funding from the government. Probably because too much is spent on schools etc (not that that's a bad thing though..)

reply to post by Xfile

Thanx for the info nickh.There always was groups here opposed to NASA and the space effort.Their argument based around"theres so many problems on earth that the money culd be spent on"etc.But i belive that if mankind is to have a future it will be in space as our natural resources here dwindle and population increases.

I wasn't entirely sure that Britain had an active space program, always thought it was left down to the European Space Agency who are pretty active, having recently sent the Phoenix lander on it's way to mars to dig under the ice there should be pretty interesting, but back to the point, i can never recall hearing anything about the UK Space Program, warrants some researching i should think!

UK used to have a rocketry project, named Blue Streak, in the 50s-60s.

Blue Streak

Just a short article on the BBC about it. Google would no doubt have more information about it.

A little more info here wiki

unfortunateley it look like it was just yet another example of the uk goverment not haveing a clue about the future potential of something built in our country

www.abovetopsecret.com...

originonally posted by Nick h
"Yeah, I know that the UK's space efforts department (whatever it is named) is never given enough funding from the government. Probably because too much is spent on schools etc (not that that's a bad thing though..)"

There are many things our Gov. are spending on now which are pretty unnecessary IMO,like the next gen nukes,ID cards,doomed NHS database etc etc.
Maybe a more forward looking Gov. would invest less in these foolish schemes and put a decent amount of money into a manned space program.

I bet the fact that NASA is so big and well recognised has actually encouraged many kids in the US to work hard in school,to achieve a job there.
The same effect could happen to youngsters here if we had a "proper" space program.

I am all for it,and hope it happens soon.

Low Cost British HSF Project The modest BIS/SEWG programme involves a £60-75 million “precursor” programme over 5 years. It would establish a small but viable UK astronaut corps of 3-4 scientist-astronauts. Two science-education 10-day missions could then visit the ISS as part of a microgravity research programme, via Soyuz spacecraft. Important science research, perhaps including biomedical, climate change monitoring and materials experiments linked to schools and Universities activities, could then occur. After the flights, the UK scientist astronauts could undertake inspirational schools education outreach work, helping to reverse the trend of declining science and technology course take-up. The cost involved would only require an increase of the UK space budget, currently about £230 million, by about 5% a year. This low cost astronaut programme could be expanded for the future, eventually leading to committed British human involvement with the return to the Moon plans of ESA, NASA and the international exploration of Mars and the Solar System. Campaign Action

The following can be done to help change current UK policy: Contact the UKSA ([email protected]) and the Science Minister, David Willetts ([email protected]) and ask that the current UK government takes the advice of the BIS, the Select Committee and the SER report and reverses the current ban on UK human spaceflight. Write to the Chair of the “UK Space Board”, Prof Keith Mason and tell him of your enthusiasm for UK human space flight (email: [email protected]) Ask your MP to lobby on your behalf to the Science Minister, David Willetts and in Parliament. Tell them of your firm support for human space exploration in the UK and about the relatively low-cost BIS/SEWG approach (see above). Emphasise the urgency of the UK joining the rest of the world with human spaceflight plans. Speak to the media (press, radio and TV), saying how important a modest UK astronaut presence would be. Point out that the UK hosted the prestigious International Astronautical Federation (IAF) congress in 2008, yet Britain has no officially funded astronaut. Tell friends of the BIS campaign and join the Society, to give support to the UK and international space activities.

Given that Uk GDP is roughly that of 1980 America I'm sure we can afford our own shuttle by now.