British space programme
Encyclopedia
The British space programme is a plan by the UK 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. The UK government does not fund the International Space Station
. Recently, the British government has changed this lack of emphasis on manned launches. The government has also begun backing a SSTO spaceplane concept called Skylon (spacecraft).
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 rocket
s 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.
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 only British satellite to be launched using an all-British rocket. Communication with the satellite was terminated in 1996.
(BNSC) was formed to coordinate modern UK space activities, however since 1986 the UK government has had a policy against human space flight.
. 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 programs, co-operation with Australian launches. Private UK citizens banded together and partially funded Project Juno
which launched British astronaut, Helen Sharman
OBE on Soyuz TM-12
, with the remainder of the financial support coming from the USSR. Through the British National Space Centre
the British government provides 17.4% of the European Space Agency
's funding for mandatory projects, however this does not fund the International Space Station
.
. 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. SpaceShipTwo is scheduled for the first rollout in December 2009.
space endeavors to better compete
with international competitors. There is also a proposal of boost of capital investment that is to be matched by industry.
concept called Skylon
. This design was pioneered by Reaction Engines Limited
, a company founded by Alan Bond
after HOTOL
was cancelled. The Skylon spaceplane has been positively received by the British government, and the British Interplanetary Society
. Pending a successful engine test in June 2011, the company will begin Phase 3 of development with the first orders expected around 2011-2013.
established the UK Space Agency
, an agency responsible for the British space programme. It replaces the British National Space Centre
and takes over responsibility for government policy and key budgets for space and represents the UK in all negotiations on space matters.
spoke favourably of the idea of a British astronaut.
To date, six British-born astronauts and one non-British born UK citizen have flown in space:
Dr. Anthony Llewellyn
(born Cardiff
) was selected as a scientist-astronaut by NASA
in August 1967 but resigned in September 1968 having never flown in space.
Lt-Colonel Anthony Boyle (Army) (born Kidderminster
), Lt-Colonel Richard Farrimond
(Army) (born Birkenhead
, Cheshire), Christopher Holmes (MOD) (born London), Commander Peter Longhurst (RN) (born Staines
, Middlesex), and Squadron Leader Nigel Wood (RAF) (born York) were selected in February 1984 as payload specialists for the Skynet 4 Program
, which was to launch from the space shuttle. Boyle resigned from the program in July 1984 due to army commitments. Prior to the cancellation of the missions in the wake of the Challenger disaster, Wood was due to fly aboard shuttle mission STS-61-H
in 1986 (with Farrimond serving as his back-up), and Longhurst was due to fly aboard shuttle mission STS-71-D in 1987 (with Holmes serving as back-up). All resigned in 1986, having not flown.
Major Timothy Mace (Army Air Corps) (born Catterick
, Yorkshire) served as back-up to Helen Sharman for the Soyuz TM-12
/Project Juno
mission in 1991. He resigned in 1991, having not flown.
On May 20, 2009, the European Space Agency
announced that Major Timothy Peake
, a test pilot in the Army Air Corps who hails from Chichester
, West Sussex
, had been accepted into the European Astronaut Corps
.
Other resources
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
. Recently, the British government has changed this lack of emphasis on manned launches. The government has also begun backing a SSTO spaceplane concept called Skylon (spacecraft).
Origin of the space programme
Scientific interest in space travel existed in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
prior to the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, particularly amongst members of the British Interplanetary Society
British Interplanetary Society
The British Interplanetary Society founded in 1933 by Philip E. Cleator, is the oldest space advocacy organisation in the world whose aim is exclusively to support and promote astronautics and space exploration.-Structure:...
(founded in 1933) whose members included Sir Arthur C. Clarke
Arthur C. Clarke
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE, FRAS was a British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, famous for his short stories and novels, among them 2001: A Space Odyssey, and as a host and commentator in the British television series Mysterious World. For many years, Robert A. Heinlein,...
, 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 rocket
V-2 rocket
The V-2 rocket , technical name Aggregat-4 , was a ballistic missile that was developed at the beginning of the Second World War in Germany, specifically targeted at London and later Antwerp. The liquid-propellant rocket was the world's first long-range combat-ballistic missile and first known...
s in Operation Backfire
Operation Backfire (WWII)
Operation Backfire was a military scientific operation during and after World War II, which was performed mainly by British staff. It was part of the Allies' scramble to loot as much German technology as they could....
, 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
Blue Steel missile
The Avro Blue Steel was a British air-launched, rocket-propelled nuclear stand-off missile, built to arm the V bomber force. It was the primary British nuclear deterrent weapon until the Royal Navy started operating Polaris missile armed nuclear submarines....
before progress was made towards launches of larger orbit-capable rockets.
British launches
Britain has launched several rockets and satellites. The ArielAriel space programme
Ariel was a British satellite research programme conducted between the early 1960s and 1980s. Six satellites were launched as part of the programme, starting with the first British satellite, Ariel 1, which was launched on 26 April 1962, and concluding with the launch of Ariel 6 on 2 June 1979...
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
Woomera, South Australia
The town, or village, of Woomera is located in the south east corner of the Woomera Prohibited Area ; colloquially known as the Woomera Rocket Range...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Falstaff
Falstaff (rocket)
Falstaff is the name of a British hypersonic research rocket. The Falstaff was 5.3 m long and had a diameter of 92 cm. It weighed 5.09 tonnes of which 4.34 tonnes was solid propellant. The Falstaff was launched seven times between 1969 and 1979 at Woomera, Australia....
, a British hypersonic test rocket, was launched from Woomera between 1969 and 1979.
Rockets were tested on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
and both tested and launched from Woomera. These included the Black Knight
Black Knight (rocket)
Black Knight was a British launch vehicle to test and verify the design of a re-entry vehicle for the Blue Streak missile.The United Kingdom's first indigenous rocketry project, Black Knight was manufactured by Saunders-Roe on the Isle of Wight, had its engines tested at The Needles and was...
and Blue Streak
Blue Streak missile
The Blue Streak missile was a British medium range ballistic missile . The Operational Requirement for the missile was issued in 1955 and the design was complete by 1957...
rockets and the Black Arrow
Black Arrow
Black Arrow, officially capitalised BLACK ARROW, was a British satellite carrier rocket. Developed during the 1960s, it was used for four launches between 1969 and 1971...
, a satellite launching rocket based on the Black Knight rocket. Black Arrow (R3) launched Prospero X-3
Prospero X-3
-External links:* from "Woomera on the Web"* from Encyclopedia Astronautica* in the Global Frequency Database...
, the only British satellite to be launched using an all-British rocket. Communication with the satellite was terminated in 1996.
Cancellation of the original government programme and formation of British National Space Centre
The official British government programme of UK satellite launches was cancelled in the early 1970s. However, UK participation in space continues through working with other space agencies. In 1985 the British National Space CentreBritish National Space Centre
The British National Space Centre was a British government body that coordinated civil space activities for the UK. It was replaced on 1 April 2010 by the UK Space Agency.-Structure:...
(BNSC) was formed to coordinate modern UK space activities, however since 1986 the UK government has had a policy against human space flight.
British contribution to other nations' space programmes
Communication and tracking of rockets and satellites in orbit is achieved using stations such as Jodrell BankJodrell Bank
The Jodrell Bank Observatory is a British observatory that hosts a number of radio telescopes, and is part of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester...
. During the Space Race
Space Race
The Space Race was a mid-to-late 20th century competition between the Soviet Union and the United States for supremacy in space exploration. Between 1957 and 1975, Cold War rivalry between the two nations focused on attaining firsts in space exploration, which were seen as necessary for national...
, Jodrell Bank
Jodrell Bank
The Jodrell Bank Observatory is a British observatory that hosts a number of radio telescopes, and is part of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester...
and other stations were used to communicate with several satellites and probes including Sputnik and Pioneer 5
Pioneer 5
Pioneer 5 was a spin-stabilized space probe in the NASA Pioneer program used to investigate interplanetary space between the orbits of Earth and Venus. It was launched on March 11, 1960 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 17a at 13:00:00 UTC with an on-orbit dry mass of 43 kg...
.
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
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's early space programs, co-operation with Australian launches. Private UK citizens banded together and partially funded Project Juno
Project Juno
Project Juno was a private British space programme, which selected Helen Sharman to be the first Briton in space.As the United Kingdom has never had a human spaceflight programme, a private consortium was formed to raise money to pay the USSR for a seat on a Soyuz mission to the Mir space station...
which launched British astronaut, Helen Sharman
Helen Sharman
Helen Patricia Sharman, OBE PhD , is a British chemist. She was the first Briton in space, visiting the Mir space station aboard Soyuz TM-12 in 1991....
OBE on Soyuz TM-12
Soyuz TM-12
-Mission highlights:12th expedition to Mir. Included first Briton in space.The Derbents welcomed aboard Mir Anatoli Artsebarski, Sergei Krikalev , and British cosmonaut-researcher Helen Sharman, who was aboard as part of Project Juno, a cooperative venture partly sponsored by British private...
, with the remainder of the financial support coming from the USSR. Through the British National Space Centre
British National Space Centre
The British National Space Centre was a British government body that coordinated civil space activities for the UK. It was replaced on 1 April 2010 by the UK Space Agency.-Structure:...
the British government provides 17.4% of the European Space Agency
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
's funding for mandatory projects, however this does not fund the International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
.
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 BondAlan Bond (rocket developer)
Alan Bond is Managing Director of Reaction Engines Ltd and associated with Project Daedalus, Blue Streak missile, HOTOL, Reaction Engines Skylon and the Reaction Engines A2 hypersonic passenger aircraft.- Career :...
. Work began at British Aerospace
British Aerospace
British Aerospace plc was a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was in the Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire...
. 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
British National Space Centre
The British National Space Centre was a British government body that coordinated civil space activities for the UK. It was replaced on 1 April 2010 by the UK Space Agency.-Structure:...
(not to be confused with the National Space Centre
National Space Centre
The National Space Centre is one of the United Kingdom's leading visitor attractions that is devoted to space science and astronomy. It is located in the city of Leicester, England, next to the River Soar on the A6.-History:...
.)
Britain continues to contribute scientific elements to satellite launches and space projects. The recent British probe Beagle 2
Beagle 2
Beagle 2 was an unsuccessful British landing spacecraft that formed part of the European Space Agency's 2003 Mars Express mission. All contact with it was lost upon its separation from the Mars Express six days before its scheduled entry into the atmosphere...
, sent as part of the ESA's Mars Express
Mars Express
Mars Express is a space exploration mission being conducted by the European Space Agency . The Mars Express mission is exploring the planet Mars, and is the first planetary mission attempted by the agency. "Express" originally referred to the speed and efficiency with which the spacecraft was...
to study the planet Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
, was lost when it failed to respond. Beagle 2 was controlled from the National Space Centre
National Space Centre
The National Space Centre is one of the United Kingdom's leading visitor attractions that is devoted to space science and astronomy. It is located in the city of Leicester, England, next to the River Soar on the A6.-History:...
in Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
. The UK company Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, or SSTL, is a spin-off company of the University of Surrey, now fully owned by EADS Astrium, that builds and operates small satellites. Its satellites began as amateur radio satellites known by the UoSAT name or by an OSCAR designation...
, 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
Space tourism
Space Tourism is space travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. A number of startup companies have sprung up in recent years, hoping to create a space tourism industry...
. Virgin Galactic
Virgin Galactic
Virgin Galactic is a company within Richard Branson's Virgin Group which plans to provide sub-orbital spaceflights to the paying public, along with suborbital space science missions and orbital launches of small satellites...
, a branch of the British-based Virgin group owned by Sir Richard Branson
Richard Branson
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies....
intends to sell space flights to the general public using space planes provided by Mojave Aerospace Ventures developed from Burt Rutan
Burt Rutan
Elbert Leander "Burt" Rutan is an American aerospace engineer noted for his originality in designing light, strong, unusual-looking, energy-efficient aircraft...
's SpaceShipOne. SpaceShipTwo is scheduled for the first rollout in December 2009.
2011 budget boost and reforms
The UK government is proposing reform to the 1986 Outer Space Act in several areas, including the liabilities that cover space operations, in order to enable British companiesPrivate spaceflight
Private spaceflight is flight above Earth altitude conducted by and paid for by an entity other than a government. In the early decades of the Space Age, the government space agencies of the Soviet Union and United States pioneered space technology augmented by collaboration with affiliated design...
space endeavors to better compete
Competition
Competition is a contest between individuals, groups, animals, etc. for territory, a niche, or a location of resources. It arises whenever two and only two strive for a goal which cannot be shared. Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same environment. For...
with international competitors. There is also a proposal of boost of capital investment that is to be matched by industry.
Reaction Engines Skylon
The British Government partnered with the ESA in 2010 to promote a single-stage to orbit spaceplaneSpaceplane
A spaceplane is a vehicle that operates as an aircraft in Earth's atmosphere, as well as a spacecraft when it is in space. It combines features of an aircraft and a spacecraft, which can be thought of as an aircraft that can endure and maneuver in the vacuum of space or likewise a spacecraft that...
concept called Skylon
Skylon
Skylon is a design for an unpiloted spaceplane by the British company Reaction Engines Limited . It uses a combined-cycle, air-breathing rocket engine to reach orbit in a single stage. A fleet of vehicles is envisaged; the design is aiming for re-usability up to 200 times...
. This design was pioneered by Reaction Engines Limited
Reaction Engines Limited
Reaction Engines Limited is a British aerospace company based in Oxfordshire, England.- History & personnel :Reaction Engines was founded in 1989 by Alan Bond and Richard Varvill and John Scott-Scott...
, a company founded by Alan Bond
Alan Bond (rocket developer)
Alan Bond is Managing Director of Reaction Engines Ltd and associated with Project Daedalus, Blue Streak missile, HOTOL, Reaction Engines Skylon and the Reaction Engines A2 hypersonic passenger aircraft.- Career :...
after HOTOL
HOTOL
HOTOL, for Horizontal Take-Off and Landing, was a British air-breathing space shuttle effort by Rolls Royce and British Aerospace.Designed as a single-stage-to-orbit reusable winged launch vehicle, it was to be fitted with a unique air-breathing engine, the RB545 called the Swallow, to be...
was cancelled. The Skylon spaceplane has been positively received by the British government, and the British Interplanetary Society
British Interplanetary Society
The British Interplanetary Society founded in 1933 by Philip E. Cleator, is the oldest space advocacy organisation in the world whose aim is exclusively to support and promote astronautics and space exploration.-Structure:...
. Pending a successful engine test in June 2011, the company will begin Phase 3 of development with the first orders expected around 2011-2013.
United Kingdom Space Agency
On 1 April 2010, the Government of the United KingdomGovernment of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Government is the central government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Government is led by the Prime Minister, who selects all the remaining Ministers...
established the UK Space Agency
UK Space Agency
The UK Space Agency is a United Kingdom government agency responsible for its civil space programme. It was established on 1 April 2010 to replace the British National Space Centre and took over responsibility for government policy and key budgets for space and represents the UK in all negotiations...
, an agency responsible for the British space programme. It replaces the British National Space Centre
British National Space Centre
The British National Space Centre was a British government body that coordinated civil space activities for the UK. It was replaced on 1 April 2010 by the UK Space Agency.-Structure:...
and takes over responsibility for government policy and key budgets for space and represents the UK in all negotiations on space matters.
British astronauts
Because the UK government has never developed a manned spaceflight 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. Despite this, on October 9, 2008, UK Science and Innovation Minister Lord DraysonPaul Drayson, Baron Drayson
Paul Rudd Drayson, Baron Drayson PC is a British businessman, amateur racing driver and politician. He was Minister of Science in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills until May 2010, where he replaced Ian Pearson. In June 2009 he was additionally appointed as Minister of State for...
spoke favourably of the idea of a British astronaut.
To date, six British-born astronauts and one non-British born UK citizen have flown in space:
| Name | Birthplace | Missions | First launch Date | (Dual) Nationality Nationality Nationality is membership of a nation or sovereign state, usually determined by their citizenship, but sometimes by ethnicity or place of residence, or based on their sense of national identity.... |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helen Sharman Helen Sharman Helen Patricia Sharman, OBE PhD , is a British chemist. She was the first Briton in space, visiting the Mir space station aboard Soyuz TM-12 in 1991.... |
 United Kingdom GrenosideGrenoside Grenoside is a suburb of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.-History:The name Grenoside is derived from the language of the Anglo-Saxons. The name Grenoside, which was first recorded in the thirteenth century as Gravenhou, is made up of the different elements. Gren from the Old English graefan... , Sheffield Sheffield Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely... , South Yorkshire South Yorkshire South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield... |
Soyuz TM-12 Soyuz TM-12 -Mission highlights:12th expedition to Mir. Included first Briton in space.The Derbents welcomed aboard Mir Anatoli Artsebarski, Sergei Krikalev , and British cosmonaut-researcher Helen Sharman, who was aboard as part of Project Juno, a cooperative venture partly sponsored by British private... /11 Soyuz TM-11 -Mission highlights:Soyuz TM-11 was launched the same day as STS-35.11th expedition to Mir. Toyohiro Akiyama was a reporter/space tourist for a Japanese television network.... |
18 May 1991 | United Kingdom |
First Briton in space. Was partially funded by private UK subject in Project Juno Project Juno Project Juno was a private British space programme, which selected Helen Sharman to be the first Briton in space.As the United Kingdom has never had a human spaceflight programme, a private consortium was formed to raise money to pay the USSR for a seat on a Soyuz mission to the Mir space station... and by the USSR. |
| Michael Foale Michael Foale Colin Michael Foale, CBE, PhD is a British-American astrophysicist with dual citizenship and a NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of six space shuttle missions and extended stays on both Mir and the International Space Station... |
United Kingdom Louth Louth, Lincolnshire Louth is a market town and civil parish within the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England.-Geography:Known as the "capital of the Lincolnshire Wolds", it is situated where the ancient trackway Barton Street crosses the River Lud, and has a total resident population of 15,930.The Greenwich... , Lincolnshire Lincolnshire Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders... |
STS-45 STS-45 STS-45 was a 1992 spaceflight using Space Shuttle Atlantis.-Crew:-Mission parameters:*Mass:**Orbiter landing with payload: **Payload: *Perigee: *Apogee: *Inclination: 57.0°*Period: 90.3 min... (Atlantis Space Shuttle Atlantis The Space Shuttle Atlantis is a retired Space Shuttle orbiter in the Space Shuttle fleet belonging to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration , the spaceflight and space exploration agency of the United States... )STS-56 STS-56 STS-56 was a Space Shuttle Discovery mission to perform special experiments. The mission launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 8 April 1993.-Crew:-Mission parameters:*Mass:**Orbiter landing with payload: **Payload:... (Discovery Space Shuttle Discovery Space Shuttle Discovery is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States, and was operational from its maiden flight, STS-41-D on August 30, 1984, until its final landing during STS-133 on March 9, 2011... )STS-63 (Discovery Space Shuttle Discovery Space Shuttle Discovery is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States, and was operational from its maiden flight, STS-41-D on August 30, 1984, until its final landing during STS-133 on March 9, 2011... )STS-84 STS-84 STS-84 was a manned spaceflight mission by Space Shuttle Atlantis to the Mir space station.-Crew:-Mission parameters:*Mass:**Orbiter landing with payload: **Spacehab-DM: ** Orbiter Docking System: **Cargo delivered to Mir:... /86 STS-86 STS-86 was a Space Shuttle Atlantis mission to the Mir space station. This was the last Atlantis mission before it was taken out of service temporarily for maintenance and upgrades, including the glass cockpit.-Crew:-Crew notes:... (Atlantis Space Shuttle Atlantis The Space Shuttle Atlantis is a retired Space Shuttle orbiter in the Space Shuttle fleet belonging to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration , the spaceflight and space exploration agency of the United States... )STS-103 STS-103 STS-103 was a Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission by Space Shuttle Discovery. The mission launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 19 December 1999 and returned on 27 December 1999.-Crew:-Mission parameters:*Mass:... (Discovery Space Shuttle Discovery Space Shuttle Discovery is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States, and was operational from its maiden flight, STS-41-D on August 30, 1984, until its final landing during STS-133 on March 9, 2011... )Soyuz TMA-3 Soyuz TMA-3 -Mission parameters:*Mass: ? kg*Perigee: 193 km*Apogee: 227 km*Inclination: 51.7°*Period: 88.6 min-Docking with ISS:*Docked to ISS: October 20, 2003, 07:16 UTC... |
24 March 1992 | United Kingdom /  United States |
Stayed on both Mir Mir Mir was a space station operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, at first by the Soviet Union and then by Russia. Assembled in orbit from 1986 to 1996, Mir was the first modular space station and had a greater mass than that of any previous spacecraft, holding the record for the... and the International Space Station International Space Station The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes... . On 9 February 1995, during STS-63, was the first Briton to perform an EVA Extra-vehicular activity Extra-vehicular activity is work done by an astronaut away from the Earth, and outside of a spacecraft. The term most commonly applies to an EVA made outside a craft orbiting Earth , but also applies to an EVA made on the surface of the Moon... . He is a US citizen through his mother. |
| Mark Shuttleworth Mark Shuttleworth Mark Richard Shuttleworth is a South African entrepreneur who was the second self-funded space tourist. Shuttleworth founded Canonical Ltd. and as of 2010, provides leadership for the Ubuntu operating system... |
 South Africa WelkomWelkom Welkom is a city in the Free State province of South Africa, located 160 kilometres northeast of Bloemfontein, the provincial capital. Welkom received municipal status in 1961 and was declared a city in 1968 on the 14th of February... , Orange Free State Orange Free State The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province... , South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... |
Soyuz TM-34 Soyuz TM-34 Soyuz TM-34 was the fourth Soyuz mission to the International Space Station . Soyuz TM-34 was launched by a Soyuz-U launch vehicle.-Crew:-Docking with ISS:*Docked to ISS: April 27, 2002, 07:55 UTC... /33 Soyuz TM-33 Soyuz TM-33 was a manned Russian space launch on Oct 21, 2001, on the Soyuz-U launch vehicle. Its mission was to carry a new crew and supplies to the International Space Station.-Crew:-Docking with ISS:... |
27 April 2002 | United Kingdom /  South Africa |
Self-funded "space tourist" to the International Space Station International Space Station The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes... . Born a South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... n, he also holds UK citizenship now. |
| Piers Sellers Piers Sellers Piers John Sellers OBE is a British-born Anglo-American meteorologist and a NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of three space shuttle missions.... |
United Kingdom Crowborough Crowborough The highest point in the town is 242 metres above sea level. This summit is the highest point of the High Weald and second highest point in East Sussex . Its relative height is 159 m, meaning Crowborough qualifies as one of England's Marilyns... , Sussex Sussex Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West... |
STS-112 STS-112 STS-112 was an 11-day space shuttle mission to the International Space Station flown by . Space Shuttle Atlantis was launched on 7 October 2002 at 19:45 UTC from the Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39B to deliver the 28,000 pound Starboard 1 truss segment to the Space Station... (Atlantis Space Shuttle Atlantis The Space Shuttle Atlantis is a retired Space Shuttle orbiter in the Space Shuttle fleet belonging to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration , the spaceflight and space exploration agency of the United States... )STS-121 STS-121 STS-121 was a space shuttle mission to the International Space Station flown by Space Shuttle Discovery. The main purposes of the mission were to test new safety and repair techniques introduced following the Columbia disaster of February 2003 as well as to deliver supplies, equipment and... (Discovery Space Shuttle Discovery Space Shuttle Discovery is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States, and was operational from its maiden flight, STS-41-D on August 30, 1984, until its final landing during STS-133 on March 9, 2011... )STS-132 STS-132 STS-132 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission, during which Space Shuttle Atlantis docked with the International Space Station on 16 May 2010. STS-132 was launched from the Kennedy Space Center on 14 May 2010. The primary payload was the Russian Rassvet Mini-Research Module, along with an Integrated... (Atlantis Space Shuttle Atlantis The Space Shuttle Atlantis is a retired Space Shuttle orbiter in the Space Shuttle fleet belonging to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration , the spaceflight and space exploration agency of the United States... ) |
7 October 2002 | United Kingdom / United States |
US citizen since 1991. |
| Nicholas Patrick Nicholas Patrick Nicholas James MacDonald Patrick, Ph.D., is a British-born engineer and a NASA astronaut. His flight on the 2006 Discovery STS-116 mission made him the fifth Briton to go into space.... |
United Kingdom Saltburn-by-the-Sea Saltburn-by-the-Sea Saltburn-by-the-Sea is a seaside resort in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. The town is around east of Middlesbrough, and had a population of 5,912 at the 2001 Census.-Old Saltburn:... , North Yorkshire North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest... |
STS-116 STS-116 -Crew notes:Originally this mission was to carry the Expedition 8 crew to the ISS. The original crew was to be:-Mission highlights:* The STS-116 mission delivered and attached the International Space Station's third port truss segment, the P5 truss.... (Discovery Space Shuttle Discovery Space Shuttle Discovery is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States, and was operational from its maiden flight, STS-41-D on August 30, 1984, until its final landing during STS-133 on March 9, 2011... )STS-130 STS-130 STS-130 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station . 's primary payloads were the Tranquility module and the Cupola, a robotic control station with six windows around its sides and another in the center, providing a 360-degree view around the station... (Endeavour Space Shuttle Endeavour Space Shuttle Endeavour is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States. Endeavour was the fifth and final spaceworthy NASA space shuttle to be built, constructed as a replacement for Challenger... ) |
9 December 2006 | United Kingdom / United States |
US citizen since 1994. |
| Gregory H. Johnson | United Kingdom South Ruislip South Ruislip South Ruislip is a suburban area in the London Borough of Hillingdon.The population, according to the 2001 UK census, was 10,823. By 2008, this had reached 11,116.-Education:... , Middlesex Middlesex Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time... |
STS-123 STS-123 -Mission parameters:* Mass:* Orbiter liftoff: * Orbiter landing: * Perigee: 336 kilometers * Apogee: 346 kilometers * Inclination: 51.6 degrees* Period: 91.6min-Mission payloads:... (Endeavour Space Shuttle Endeavour Space Shuttle Endeavour is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States. Endeavour was the fifth and final spaceworthy NASA space shuttle to be built, constructed as a replacement for Challenger... )STS-134 STS-134 STS-134 was the penultimate mission of NASA's Space Shuttle program. The mission marked the 25th and final flight of . This flight delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer and an ExPRESS Logistics Carrier to the International Space Station. Mark Kelly served as the mission commander... (Endeavour Space Shuttle Endeavour Space Shuttle Endeavour is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States. Endeavour was the fifth and final spaceworthy NASA space shuttle to be built, constructed as a replacement for Challenger... ) |
11 March 2008 | United Kingdom / United States |
Born in UK to US parents. |
| Richard Garriott Richard Garriott Richard Allen Garriott is a British-American video game developer and entrepreneur.He is also known as his alter egos Lord British in Ultima and General British in Tabula Rasa... |
United Kingdom Cambridge Cambridge The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the... , Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west... |
Soyuz TMA-13 Soyuz TMA-13 Soyuz TMA-13 was a Soyuz mission to the International Space Station . The spacecraft was launched by a Soyuz-FG rocket at 07:01 GMT on 12 October 2008. It undocked at 02:55 GMT on 8 April 2009, performed a deorbit burn at 06:24, and landed at 07:16... /12 Soyuz TMA-12 Soyuz TMA-12 was a Soyuz mission to the International Space Station which was launched by a Soyuz FG rocket at 11:16 UTC on 8 April 2008. It docked to the Pirs module of the station on 10 April 2008. Landing occurred at 03:37 on 24 October... |
12 October 2008 | United Kingdom / United States |
Self-funded "space tourist" to the International Space Station International Space Station The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes... . Born in UK to US parents, son of Skylab Skylab Skylab was a space station launched and operated by NASA, the space agency of the United States. Skylab orbited the Earth from 1973 to 1979, and included a workshop, a solar observatory, and other systems. It was launched unmanned by a modified Saturn V rocket, with a mass of... astronaut Owen Garriott |
Dr. Anthony Llewellyn
Anthony Llewellyn
John Anthony Llewellyn , is a British-born American scientist and a former NASA astronaut.-Biography:Llewellyn was born in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, and graduated from Cardiff High School in 1949. He received his BSc degree in 1955 and went on to achieve his PhD degree in chemistry in 1958...
(born Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
) was selected as a scientist-astronaut by NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
in August 1967 but resigned in September 1968 having never flown in space.
Lt-Colonel Anthony Boyle (Army) (born Kidderminster
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a town, in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. It is located approximately seventeen miles south-west of Birmingham city centre and approximately fifteen miles north of Worcester city centre. The 2001 census recorded a population of 55,182 in the town...
), Lt-Colonel Richard Farrimond
Richard Farrimond
Richard Alfred Farrimond is a British engineer, former army officer and astronaut candidate.Born in Birkenhead , he was educated Clifton College. He studied at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst and received a BS in telecommunications at the Royal Military College of Science, Shrivenham in 1972...
(Army) (born Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
, Cheshire), Christopher Holmes (MOD) (born London), Commander Peter Longhurst (RN) (born Staines
Staines
Staines is a Thames-side town in the Spelthorne borough of Surrey and Greater London Urban Area, as well as the London Commuter Belt of South East England. It is a suburban development within the western bounds of the M25 motorway and located 17 miles west south-west of Charing Cross in...
, Middlesex), and Squadron Leader Nigel Wood (RAF) (born York) were selected in February 1984 as payload specialists for the Skynet 4 Program
Skynet (satellites)
Skynet is a family of military satellites, now operated by Paradigm Secure Communications on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence, which provide strategic communication services to the three branches of the British Armed Forces and to NATO forces engaged on coalition tasks.-Skynet 1:There were two...
, which was to launch from the space shuttle. Boyle resigned from the program in July 1984 due to army commitments. Prior to the cancellation of the missions in the wake of the Challenger disaster, Wood was due to fly aboard shuttle mission STS-61-H
STS-61-H
STS-61-H was a United States Space Shuttle mission planned to launch in 1986 using Columbia, however, it was cancelled after the Challenger disaster. The flight was scheduled to take place 24 June through 1 July.- Crew :* Commander: Michael L. Coats...
in 1986 (with Farrimond serving as his back-up), and Longhurst was due to fly aboard shuttle mission STS-71-D in 1987 (with Holmes serving as back-up). All resigned in 1986, having not flown.
Major Timothy Mace (Army Air Corps) (born Catterick
Catterick, North Yorkshire
Catterick , sometimes Catterick Village, to distinguish it from the nearby Catterick Garrison, is a village and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England...
, Yorkshire) served as back-up to Helen Sharman for the Soyuz TM-12
Soyuz TM-12
-Mission highlights:12th expedition to Mir. Included first Briton in space.The Derbents welcomed aboard Mir Anatoli Artsebarski, Sergei Krikalev , and British cosmonaut-researcher Helen Sharman, who was aboard as part of Project Juno, a cooperative venture partly sponsored by British private...
/Project Juno
Project Juno
Project Juno was a private British space programme, which selected Helen Sharman to be the first Briton in space.As the United Kingdom has never had a human spaceflight programme, a private consortium was formed to raise money to pay the USSR for a seat on a Soyuz mission to the Mir space station...
mission in 1991. He resigned in 1991, having not flown.
On May 20, 2009, the European Space Agency
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
announced that Major Timothy Peake
Timothy Peake
Timothy Nigel Peake is a former British Army Air Corps officer and a current European Space Agency astronaut. He is the first British citizen to be selected as an astronaut by ESA...
, a test pilot in the Army Air Corps who hails from Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, had been accepted into the European Astronaut Corps
European Astronaut Corps
The European Astronaut Corps is a unit of the European Space Agency that selects, trains, and provides astronauts as crew members on U.S. and Russian space missions. As of May 2010, 21 ESA astronauts have flown in space, including one female. There are currently 14 active members of the Corps. The...
.
British space programme in fiction
Works of science fiction have often described a United Kingdom with an ambitious space programme of its own. Notable fictional depictions of British spacecraft or Britons in space include:- "How We Went to MarsHow We Went to Mars"How We Went to Mars" is a short story by Arthur C. Clarke. It was first published in March 1938 in the third and final issue of the magazine Amateur Science Stories. This humorous story is about a group of British rocket scientists who travel to Mars aboard one of their rockets and their...
" by Sir Arthur C. ClarkeArthur C. ClarkeSir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE, FRAS was a British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, famous for his short stories and novels, among them 2001: A Space Odyssey, and as a host and commentator in the British television series Mysterious World. For many years, Robert A. Heinlein,...
(Amateur Science Fiction Stories March 1938) - Dan DareDan DareDan Dare is a British science fiction comic hero, created by illustrator Frank Hampson who also wrote the first stories, that is, the Venus and Red Moon stories, and a complete storyline for Operation Saturn...
, Pilot of the Future (comics, 1950–1967, 1980s) - Journey Into SpaceJourney Into SpaceJourney Into Space is a BBC Radio science fiction programme, written by BBC producer Charles Chilton. It was the last radio programme in the UK to attract a bigger evening audience than television...
(radio, 1953–1955) - The Quatermass ExperimentThe Quatermass ExperimentThe Quatermass Experiment is a British science-fiction serial broadcast by BBC Television in the summer of 1953 and re-staged by BBC Four in 2005. Set in the near future against the background of a British space programme, it tells the story of the first manned flight into space, overseen by...
(television, 1953) - Blast Off at WoomeraBlast Off at WoomeraBlast Off at Woomera is a young adult science fiction novel, the first in Hugh Walters' Chris Godfrey of U.N.E.X.A. series. It was published in the UK by Faber in 1957, in the US by Criterion Books in 1958 under the title Blast Off at 0300 and in the Netherlands in 1960 by Prisma Juniores under...
by Hugh WaltersHugh Walters (author)Hugh Walters was a writer of juvenile Science Fiction novels from Bradley in the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom.-Biography:...
(1957) - Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
(television) — "The Ambassadors of DeathThe Ambassadors of DeathThe Ambassadors of Death is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in seven weekly parts from March 21 to May 2, 1970.-Plot:...
" (1970), "The Christmas InvasionThe Christmas Invasion"The Christmas Invasion" is a 60-minute special episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It is Christmas, but there is little cause for celebration as planet Earth is invaded by aliens known as the Sycorax...
" (2005) - The GoodiesThe Goodies (TV series)The Goodies is a British television comedy series of the 1970s and early 1980s. The series, which combines surreal sketches and situation comedy, was broadcast by BBC 2 from 1970 until 1980 — and was then broadcast by the ITV company LWT for a year, between 1981 to 1982.The show was...
- "Invasion of the Moon Creatures"(television, 1973) - Moonbase 3Moonbase 3Moonbase 3 is a British science fiction television programme that ran for six episodes in 1973. It was a co-production between the BBC, 20th Century Fox and the American ABC network...
(television, 1973) - Come Back Mrs. Noah (television, 1977)
- Star CopsStar CopsStar Cops is a British science fiction television series first broadcast on BBC Two in 1987. It was devised by Chris Boucher, a writer who had previously worked on the science fiction television series Doctor Who and Blake's 7 as well as crime dramas such as Juliet Bravo and Bergerac...
(television, 1987) - Red DwarfRed DwarfRed Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series...
(television, 1988–1999, 2009) - Ministry of SpaceMinistry of SpaceMinistry of Space is a three-part alternate history mini-series written by Warren Ellis, published by Image Comics, starting in 2001. The book's art is by Chris Weston, and depicts retro technology in a believably 'British' style....
(comics, 2001–2004) - Hyperdrive (TV series)Hyperdrive (TV series)Hyperdrive is a British television science fiction sitcom series produced by the BBC created under the working title of "Full Power." BBC2 broadcast two series in 2006 and 2007, A third series is yet to be commissioned and the actor Kevin Eldon has indicated that is unlikely to be...
(television, 2006–2007)
See also
- British National Space CentreBritish National Space CentreThe British National Space Centre was a British government body that coordinated civil space activities for the UK. It was replaced on 1 April 2010 by the UK Space Agency.-Structure:...
replaced by the UK Space AgencyUK Space AgencyThe UK Space Agency is a United Kingdom government agency responsible for its civil space programme. It was established on 1 April 2010 to replace the British National Space Centre and took over responsibility for government policy and key budgets for space and represents the UK in all negotiations...
in 2010 - National Space Centre (Leicester)National Space CentreThe National Space Centre is one of the United Kingdom's leading visitor attractions that is devoted to space science and astronomy. It is located in the city of Leicester, England, next to the River Soar on the A6.-History:...
- British Rail flying saucerBritish Rail flying saucerThe British Rail flying saucer, officially known simply as space vehicle, was a proposed spacecraft designed by Charles Osmond Frederick.- Purpose :The flying saucer originally started as a proposal for a lifting platform...
External links
- Interview that Tim Peake has given to the Young Eagles at the museum of Army Flying
- British National Space Centre
- History of British rocketry
- Britain in Space
- Information on Blue Streak
- History of HOTOL
- Virgin Galactic
- UK made 'fundamental space mistake'
- BBC Report on SST
- BBC, March 24, 2011, article on recent UK government announcement contrasted with recent French government funding increases.
Other resources
- Hill, C.N., A Vertical Empire: The History of the UK Rocket and Space Programme, 1950-1971
- Millard, Douglas, An Overview of United Kingdom Space Activity 1957-1987, ESA Publications.