back to article When will the UK take another giant leap into space?

It promises to be a busy few years for British spaceflight. Astronaut Tim Peake is due to return to the European Space Agency (ESA) and the UK's first vertical launches are set to take place in Scotland. The Register spoke to the Libby Jackson of the UK Space Agency during July's Blue Dot Festival, who told us that Peake's …

  1. VoiceOfTruth

    What is the benefit?

    Other than bragging rights.

    1. elsergiovolador Silver badge

      Re: What is the benefit?

      You can burn a lot of money on mates contracts and what goes into space can't really be inspected.

      1. VoiceOfTruth

        Re: What is the benefit?

        My question was genuine, not rhetorical. I'm wondering what is the actual benefit (if any) and to whom (if anyone) of sending a British person into space. Apart from bragging rights?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: What is the benefit?

          None of your posts are genuine.

          1. VoiceOfTruth

            Re: What is the benefit?

            Can't answer the question? Don't reply.

          2. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: What is the benefit?

            The question is perfectly legitimate though, why not have a try at answering it?

            I regret that I don't know myself so don't take me seriously, but aside from the undeniable political considerations, there must be an element exploring new frontiers in the hope of discovering new markets and business opportunities? A bit like colonialism, I suppose?

            1. martinusher Silver badge

              Re: What is the benefit?

              Hardly 'new frontiers'. The best the UK is going to do is spend a lot of money launching a small payload into low Earth orbit. There's lots of better uses for that money. (..and the 'strictly commercial' angle doesn't fly either -- the UK is having a problem just figuring how to sell affordable rail tickets so they're unlikely to develop a way to cheaply put things in orbit; based on past form I'd guess these ventures are more about finding and exploiting subsidies than actually getting things done.)

              1. Fruit and Nutcase Silver badge
                Joke

                Re: What is the benefit?

                the UK is having a problem just figuring how to sell affordable rail tickets[anything]

              2. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                Re: What is the benefit?

                > Hardly 'new frontiers'. The best the UK is going to do is spend a lot of money launching a small payload into low Earth orbit. There's lots of better uses for that money.

                I wholeheartedly agree, but I understood the question to be about potential benefits from the (possibly delusional) point of view of those spending the money, not of those footing the bill (taxpayers and/or investors).

        2. Ian Johnston Silver badge

          Re: What is the benefit?

          The only scientific purpose of sending people into space is finding out how people cope with being sent into space. It's a completely pointless mixture of national pride combined with utter nonsense about a destiny in the stars.

          1. RegGuy1 Silver badge

            Re: What is the benefit?

            The point will soon be moot. Musk's Spaceship is likely to have it's first go at an orbital launch within the next few weeks (no earlier than 1st Sept, though) and the manned version is to be designed to launch 100 bods at a time. If his ideas come to reality any manned access to space will be via his system.

            As for small satellites (cubesats of various sizes) there are already launch providers who will take your money off you and send your little box to space now. You can book a rideshare on the amazing Falcon 9, that goes up once a week, or you could use Rocket Lab's Electron, launched from New Zealand -- equally impressive in its own way -- that goes up once per month.

            The Bearded One's huge whopper is hung from a 747 and has gone up three times to date -- if all goes well the fourth flight will be from Newquay next month.

            Britain has been a significant player in satellite construction, but it always makes me laugh when they show figures for the British space industry and include, in the 40,000 employees, 20,000 that work for Sky and Virgin TV! When I think of a job in the space industry I picture some bod trying to dodge the splashes of hypergolic fuel as they load a spacecraft, not Gladys working in the call centre.

            Still, with our current crop of highly professional politicians needing a big win story, I can see how news of a successful launch of a phallic device is appealing.

            1. Alan Brown Silver badge

              Re: What is the benefit?

              "it always makes me laugh when they show figures for the British space industry and include, in the 40,000 employees, 20,000 that work for Sky and Virgin TV! "

              Even _within_ the British space sector, the number of people is vastly overstated. Lots of theory researchers get lumped in as "constructors" when at best they're data consumers

              I'm not running down researchers. Just the calculation methods used. There is a tiny number of highly passionate people involved on the construction side and most of them are there DESPITE the best efforts of politcians and civil servants

              1. jpennycook

                Re: What is the benefit?

                Operating satellite ground stations isn't trivial

            2. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: What is the benefit?

              > The point will soon be moot.

              I'm not sure. I agree with your post, but even if the UK only gets a very small piece of the pie, that means having at least some expertise in a field that, economically, looks promising in the coming decades.

              Whether the price paid for such expertise is worth the cost, that is a different matter.

        3. MyffyW Silver badge

          Re: What is the benefit?

          That intangible lift in the heart that comes from feeling connected to the wider universe and inspires boys and girls to study tech? Hard to put a price on it... but it's there

    2. steviebuk Silver badge

      Re: What is the benefit?

      To encourage young kids in the UK to follow science.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: What is the benefit?

        Us old kids also take an interest.

        1. Version 1.0 Silver badge

          Re: What is the benefit?

          But after watching what happened when Quatermass launched the first rocket from the UK I'm nervous.

      2. Ian Johnston Silver badge

        Re: What is the benefit?

        Evidence for an causative link?

      3. gandalfcn Silver badge

        Re: What is the benefit?

        Cox is already doing that, as are others.

        1. gandalfcn Silver badge

          Re: What is the benefit?

          Seems some people don't know that Cox has been responsible for a massive increase in interest in STEM. Or don't want to know.

    3. gandalfcn Silver badge

      Re: What is the benefit?

      The Gammon will believe we are telling the ESA what to do and it distracts from the basic fact that the UK is becoming increasingly irrelevant globally.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: What is the benefit?

        Tell that to President Zelenskyy

      2. gandalfcn Silver badge

        Re: What is the benefit?

        Seem's the Gammon were upset. Good.

  2. Jay 2
    Alien

    Does this mean El Reg can dust off LOHAN?

    I recall the (US) FAA put a a bit of a kybosh on LOHAN back in the day, maybe this is a good time to take advantage of new rules being made up etc to pull a bit of a fast one? Yeah, I know it's unlikely, but we can but dream!

    Just noticed there's no Paris icon any more, I'll have to use an alien...

    1. Peter Gathercole Silver badge
      Pint

      Re: Does this mean El Reg can dust off LOHAN?

      The first question should be "Where is LOHAN"?.

      I suspect it's in a dusty forgotten corner of Spaceport America, if it's not been trashed already.

      I fear that a lot more than enthusiasm was lost when we lost Lester.

      If I was allowed to (medical condition), I'd raise a beer to his memory. Maybe someone else can do it for me.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Does this mean El Reg can dust off LOHAN?

        > If I was allowed to (medical condition), I'd raise a beer to his memory.

        Arm in a cast or something? Else you can raise the beer, and I'll drink it.

      2. John Brown (no body) Silver badge
        Pint

        Re: Does this mean El Reg can dust off LOHAN?

        As it happens, as I read you post, I'm currently drinking a beer from my "hewn from the living glass" Lohan engraved glass tankard :-)

        I'll have another one shorty on your behalf. After all, any excuse is a good excuse :-)

  3. Flywheel
    FAIL

    He's waiting for a couple of Raspberry Pi's to become available - he may have a looooong wait!

  4. Brian of Romsey

    Choice of cargo

    Surely, if a brit goes to space, it would be better to send someone else? Not because Tim's unsuitable but because experience like this should be shared out to others.

    And on a perhaps more flippant note - Why can't Johnson, Truss, and Dorries just be shot into space?

    1. hoola Silver badge

      Re: Choice of cargo

      One assumes that implies a one-way shot!

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Johnson, Truss, and Dorries

      Haven't you heard? The Tories have gone green: you can't just dump your rubbish these days, you've got to recycle it!

      1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

        Re: Johnson, Truss, and Dorries

        Shudder.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Johnson, Truss, and Dorries

          Too right, it's enough to put me off my Soylent Green...

  5. Lars Silver badge
    Meh

    When was that first giany leap into space I have forgotten about.

    1. Version 1.0 Silver badge
  6. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Coat

    What do you call the first politician sent to Mars on their own?

    A start.

  7. cjcox

    Rocket Who

    There's a plan to launch a blue police box. However, they're not sure when or where it will land.

    1. 105kayem

      Re: Rocket Who

      Or when.

    2. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      Re: Rocket Who

      OK providing it's not this one: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.6341077,-1.7486348,3a,37.5y,66.49h,77.71t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s9H0FG1FliF5jQoK-RBp-sw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en

  8. Potemkine! Silver badge

    Try saying that after too many drinks.

    Try understanding that after too many drinks. ^^

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