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The British Are Building a Spaceport

posted by Fnord666 on Tuesday July 17 2018, @09:29PM   Printer-friendly
from the to-infinity-and-beyond dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

The lure of commercial riches in space is spurring a variety of plans to help launch all the components necessary for a fully functioning orbital economy.

The latest to enter this private-sector race is the U.K., which announced Monday that it plans to construct the nation's first commercial vertical launch spaceport in northern Scotland. Lockheed Martin Corp. was awarded $31 million for two U.K. projects: Establishing vertical launch operations in Sutherland and a development program slated for Reading to deploy a new "delivery vehicle" to deploy as many as six small satellites.

Is it the second coming of the Space Race?

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  • (Score: 4, Informative) by takyon on Tuesday July 17 2018, @11:42PM (2 children)

    by takyon (881) <takyonNO@SPAMsoylentnews.org> on Tuesday July 17 2018, @11:42PM (#708576) Journal

    B) There is no british space enterprise to support

    https://www.ukspace.org [ukspace.org]

    UKspace is the trade association of the UK space industry. We are dedicated to representing the interests of our Members and supporting them in growing and developing their businesses. As a UKspace Member you have access to a wealth of information, advice, support and expertise from the UK space industry.

    https://www.economist.com/britain/2018/05/03/britains-space-industry-brexits-final-frontier [economist.com]

    FOR a country that has not launched a rocket into space for nearly 50 years, Britain has a booming space industry. According to a government-commissioned report in 2016, it makes up 6.5% of the global space economy. The industry is worth £13.7bn, or $18.7bn (more than half of which is accounted for by satellite broadcasting companies), and employs 39,000 people directly. In some niches, Britain’s contribution is even greater; it makes 40% of the world’s small satellites.

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  • (Score: 2) by legont on Wednesday July 18 2018, @01:08AM (1 child)

    by legont (4179) on Wednesday July 18 2018, @01:08AM (#708602)

    And let's not forget - Raspberry Pi's. I want one in space for $30.

    --
    "Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.

    • (Score: 2) by Snow on Wednesday July 18 2018, @01:56AM

      by Snow (1601) on Wednesday July 18 2018, @01:56AM (#708616) Journal

      That would be pretty amazing since a baked raspberry pie costs almost as much to get on my table.