Author Topic: Britain Rethinking Space Policy  (Read 30816 times)

Online Chris Bergin

RE: Britain Rethinking Space Policy
« Reply #120 on: 12/21/2005 01:48 pm »
Hard to avoid on a space subject relating to politics, but it would be advisable to leave stuff like [sarcasm] that country which was so peaceful and loving, reminded you of Sweden, before the nasty US and UK invaded and made it a killing zone [/sarcasm] country out of it.

I am interested in any space background interest from Brown or Cameron though! :)
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Offline Terry Rocket

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RE: Britain Rethinking Space Policy
« Reply #121 on: 12/30/2005 01:27 pm »
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=1128

We are cheaper than the likes of Spain. SSTL, what do we know about them?

Offline British NASA

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RE: Britain Rethinking Space Policy
« Reply #122 on: 12/31/2005 01:25 pm »
They are a Surrey based outfit that I hadn't heard of before. They really seem like they have the right people, but as far as an impact, well the government needs to lift some restrictions and allow companies like this to grow, align with British Aerospace and let's go build a space program. We're the fourth richest country in the world!

Offline Hotol

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RE: Britain Rethinking Space Policy
« Reply #123 on: 01/01/2006 09:32 am »
I've been doing some background checks into where we could have made an impact, if at all possible.

I found this, from 1998.

http://66.111.5.164/archive/the_imminent_space_revolution_how_the_uk_can_take_the_lead.shtml

UK with foresight, but no support, again.

Offline Justin Space

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RE: Britain Rethinking Space Policy
« Reply #124 on: 01/02/2006 10:03 am »
Seems we've had the motivation to go for it during periods of our history but can't get any momentum going. With our engineers and scientists, I find it scandelous.

Offline Terry Rocket

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RE: Britain Rethinking Space Policy
« Reply #125 on: 01/07/2006 10:47 pm »
With Kennedy resigning for being a boozer with the Liberals, any chance for Lembit Opik? He's a huge space flight fan.

Offline SimonShuttle

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RE: Britain Rethinking Space Policy
« Reply #126 on: 01/07/2006 11:28 pm »
I don't think so, he's unelectable given he's not hard enough.

Offline SimonShuttle

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RE: Britain Rethinking Space Policy
« Reply #127 on: 01/07/2006 11:29 pm »
And the Liberals won't get in power for at least 20 years.

Offline British NASA

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RE: Britain Rethinking Space Policy
« Reply #128 on: 01/09/2006 12:15 pm »
Wouldn't make a difference if Griffin became head of the Liberals, they've no power.

Cameron, we need to check him out still.

Online Chris Bergin

RE: Britain Rethinking Space Policy
« Reply #129 on: 01/09/2006 12:59 pm »
I've seen nothing on Cameron's history to suggest he's pro or against space programs.
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Online Chris Bergin

RE: Britain Rethinking Space Policy
« Reply #130 on: 01/11/2006 06:04 pm »
Another British space mention....from the ESA ion engine story:
 

".....the DS4G marks a major step forward in space propulsion capability, based around a concept designed by David Fearn, a pioneer of ion propulsion in the UK."
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Offline Martin FL

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RE: Britain Rethinking Space Policy
« Reply #131 on: 01/13/2006 11:11 pm »
Related


British Technology Firm to Go Public
http://www.space.com/spacenews/QinetiQ_011306.html

Online Chris Bergin

RE: Britain Rethinking Space Policy
« Reply #132 on: 01/23/2006 10:32 pm »
Now here's something interesting. Manx law - how does that find a way past UK government control...a bit like the Welsh Assembly?

http://www.thelawyer.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=118450&d=122&h=24&f=46
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Offline Rocket Ronnie

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RE: Britain Rethinking Space Policy
« Reply #133 on: 01/24/2006 08:12 am »
They are a bit of a law unto themselves, but this is a bit like a council/local authority power to bring in commerical and private investment. I for one say good luck to them.

Offline CuddlyRocket

RE: Britain Rethinking Space Policy
« Reply #134 on: 01/24/2006 12:04 pm »
The Isle of Man is not part of the UK. It is a British Dependency, similar to Bermuda. Details here.

Offline darkenfast

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RE: Britain Rethinking Space Policy
« Reply #135 on: 01/24/2006 08:37 pm »
I want to tip-toe very carefully into this discussion, as I am an Yank commenting on your culture!  I spent most of the 90's over there, and tried to stay, but got kicked out.  Anyway, I was always fascinated by the differences between the US and UK, and sometimes an outsider can see things that are a little hard for someone on the inside.   What makes something like a space program so difficult in Britain is that, in my opinion, the remnants of a class-system are still operating.  I'm not talking about Marxism, and it's very subtle and gradually fading, but I still see it.  It's not a case of an upper class "oppressing" the workers, it's a case of the working-class setting limits on themselves.   It starts when a child is faced with the decision of whether to leave school at 16 and get a job or go for A-levels, and then again when it's time to look at universities.  There's still a subtle pressure to not rise above your class, and a hostility towards people who do so.  

A program that requires the best in science and engineering needs a nation where there are a lot of graduates in those fields to choose from.  There has to be a huge talent pool, and that means a lot of students starting out on the first rung of that higher-education ladder  (A-levels in Maths and Sciences).   Like I said, this is gradually fading, but I think it still has a generation to go.  We see the same factors working in some communities in America, where for instance, doing well in school is frowned upon.

I also don't see the Labour Party providing the kind of leadership neccessary.   Although Labour has largely re-invented itself over the past decade, it still struggles with its past as a party of the Workers fighting against the Bosses.   A lot of its voting support has the same kind of attitude.  They vote based on how much the government can provide in benefits, not on a Vision for Space Exploration.  

I think it says something about the British that scientists there do as well as they do, with so many obstacles to overcome.   I am certainly not blind to the problems we have in America when it comes to educating a new generation of scientists and engineers.  I just find it interesting to look at the differences between the two nations.   America's first moon program didn't start with Kennedy's famous speech.  It started decades earlier, in the schools and the universities.   The same applies to any country wishing to push the limits of technology and science.  It's a generations-long uphill battle.

Just something I've been thinking about, lately. Thanks for wading through all that!
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Offline nacnud

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RE: Britain Rethinking Space Policy
« Reply #136 on: 01/24/2006 08:57 pm »
I'm not sure about that, I think the lack of a UK space program has more to do with our need to show our prominace in world affares or rather our lack of it. Spending lots of public money on something as 'wasteful and brash' as a manned space program rather than making sure everone had an equale stap at life (read welfare and heathcare) just wouldn't be cricket. Currently a manned program is at least as much about national prestige as it is exploration, we just don't go in for that as much as the US et al.
 
That said as soon as it's possible to comercialise space expect us to be there, space ship airbus anyone? :)

Offline British NASA

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RE: Britain Rethinking Space Policy
« Reply #137 on: 01/26/2006 08:56 am »
We're missing the point on ESA though. Cold we make more of an effort to build an industry by supporting British Aerospace with the hundreds of millions we put into ESA?

Offline Hotol

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RE: Britain Rethinking Space Policy
« Reply #138 on: 02/03/2006 10:49 am »

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