UK Defence Secretary & defence chiefs' SpaceX discussions

[FutureSpaceTourist]

This BBC article:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57866734

US wants giant radar in UK to track space objects
By Jonathan Beale
Defence correspondent, BBC News

contains this snippet:

It [the US Space and Missile Systems Center] was one of the sites visited by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and UK defence chiefs this week on a visit to California. They also held discussions with Elon Musk's SpaceX.

No hint in the article on what the SpaceX discussions covered. I guess could be Starlink related, although - of course - the UK government is a significant OneWeb investor. Perhaps could be do with Starship?

[steveleach]

Many of us in these forums believe Starship will completely transform space access, and I suspect there will be a number of people in senior government/military roles around the globe who share that belief.

If those governments/militaries are US allies then they'd be foolish not to be talking to Musk. They have to at the very least have plans for operating in that transformed world.

[Zed_Noir]

This BBC article:

<snip>

contains this snippet:

It [the US Space and Missile Systems Center] was one of the sites visited by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and UK defence chiefs this week on a visit to California. They also held discussions with Elon Musk's SpaceX.

No hint in the article on what the SpaceX discussions covered. I guess could be Starlink related, although - of course - the UK government is a significant OneWeb investor. Perhaps could be do with Starship?

Oneweb don't seems to be able to have mobile terminals on the ground and in the air. Which Starlink have already done some tests with some USAF aircraft.


Oneweb is not that useful for the Military in tactical usage.


 

[STS-200]

Oneweb don't seems to be able to have mobile terminals on the ground and in the air. Which Starlink have already done some tests with some USAF aircraft.


Oneweb is not that useful for the Military in tactical usage.

Not correct.
Oneweb are marketing their services for both aviation and marine users.
A relevant recent announcement :
https://twitter.com/OneWeb/status/1411304825254522881

However, that doesn't mean the MoD shouldn't be talking to Starlink & SpaceX.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/harvsmyth/status/1427302041811132426

1st visit of the day. @SpaceX in LA.

His twitter bio:

Air Vice-Marshal Harv Smyth. Head of the UK’s Space Directorate: leading and cohering Space Domain strategy, policy and capability for the UK military.

[DigitalMan]

Interesting. I would love to see a deal for a Starship launch pad in the UK. The UK are our friends, after all, though perhaps I am biased because of part British blood in me.

[M.E.T.]

Interesting. I would love to see a deal for a Starship launch pad in the UK. The UK are our friends, after all, though perhaps I am biased because of part British blood in me.

Is there any east facing coastal location that would work as a British launch site for Starship? Maybe some remaining island colony? Can’t see them launching over France or the Netherlands.

[Eer]

Interesting. I would love to see a deal for a Starship launch pad in the UK. The UK are our friends, after all, though perhaps I am biased because of part British blood in me.

Is there any east facing coastal location that would work as a British launch site for Starship? Maybe some remaining island colony? Can’t see them launching over France or the Netherlands.

Doesn't have to be in the British Isles ...
Montserrat, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory), Cayman Islands, Turks & Caicos Islands, Pitcairn Island, Falkland Island, and let's not forget Gibraltar (though I'm not sure the Mediterranean would make a good eastern range).

Edit: and that's before you get to the Commonwealth, particularly those in 5-eyes coalition.