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?
(Score: 3, Informative) by legont on Wednesday July 18 2018, @01:18AM (2 children)
Actually, Russians have two spaceports. That's in addition to the former Russian Baiconur where it all began. Also, Kazakhstan where Baiconur is, is a member of Eurasian Union which is basically EU of the former Soviet Republics - no borders no taxes..
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 18 2018, @10:56AM (1 child)
... and, looking at the list of member states, no democracy either.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 18 2018, @06:02PM
Democracy with uninformed voters is just as bad as kleptocracy.