Yes I saw the programme where they launched a Reliant Regal (or was it a Robin)
Very funny!!

We still ave the Rocket Test site on the Isle of wight though

Isle of Wight - UK's Space Race of the 60's
The Isle of Wight played a key role in both Britain's space and nuclear missile programme in the 1960's.

The site at Highdown, just above The Needles was at the forefront of technology and research into how rockets behaved both in space and when they re-entered the atmosphere. To conduct these experiments a rocket called Black Knight was built and tested.

Alice Roberts joins engineers from the original research team and discovers that not only did Black Knight accomplish its mission, but its successor, Black Arrow launched the British satellite 'Prospero' into space. But funding for the space project was withdrawn in favour of developing Concorde, the legendary supersonic plane.

But even now, with the luxury plane grounded, its legend overshadows the space pioneers. A visit to the National Museum of Flight in East Fortune, Scotland, reveals Concorde displayed in pride of place, while the Black Arrow is currently relegated to a storage room.




[edit on 14/9/07 by Chorlton]

All we need to do is to start re-investing in Arianne.

That beastie is going to be capable of putting people into space very soon (if it doesnt already have tha capability)

British policy towards space was quite "British"..

We didn't care about exploration, but it's nice we are starting to modernise and hopefully we will consider taking part in a moon base project.

The problem is, its only academics who are suggesting this.
I doubt Gordon is going to give any space project one single penny, which is a shame

Originally posted by Chorlton
The problem is, its only academics who are suggesting this.
I doubt Gordon is going to give any space project one single penny, which is a shame

No,

I reckon he will. He knows a British space agency would benefit the UK economy and Gordon loves cash

The reports does show a huge economic benefit, so its likely Gordon would back such a thing.

Im amazed that private enterprise hasnt contributed more fromthe UK
It would be a good advertising ploy for them.

If it's done right, Britain could reap intellectual and economic dividends that we've never had access to before. Let's face it, the UK hasn't been short on the explorers front; Robert Scott, David Livingstone and James Cook to name a few of the famous ones. These ventures greatly enriched Britain (both through knowledge gained and money made). So why not set about exploring the cosmos?

Scrap ID Cards (That's £5.5billion for a start) and start a space programme instead!

Originally posted by Freeborn
Could you honestly see the British public accepting this sort of government investment or us gaining it from private investors.

Actually, I think such a project would do wonders to rekindle the national imagination and derring-do spirit. Although it wouldn't be done in an aggressive/biggest/fastest/flashiest manner, that's just not the British way.

What we excel at is innovation on a small-scale...high-tech engineering and preferably shed-based