Space agency in hunt for new acronym.

The European Space Agency has opened its first British research centre. Now the race is on to find a suitable name for the facility.

The European Space Agency landed in Britain this week. At a packed ceremony at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London, the agency's director-general, Jean-Jacques Dordain, took to the stage and quipped about arriving one hundred years after Louis Blériot.

gaurdian.co.uk article


Why do i get the distinct feeling this means absolutely nothing in terms of Britain actually having any presence in space or space exploration. Once again our MSM totally misses the point and makes out the most important thing in this event is finding a new acronym, whilst we sit back and laugh every other country is off doing things we are left to dream about or watch on TV...

I think its pretty embarrassing for Britain to be in the process of training our first (well i say "our", Europe's) first astronaut Tim Peake, whilst other major countries have huge space exploration projects.

Oh in case anyone is interested, here's Tim Peaks ESA page.
Timothy Peake - ESA


[edit on 23/7/09 by refuse_orders]

lol I know what you mean.

Still, behind the facile reporting there is some good news in this. That being the possibility of a dedicated British space agency; not that it would necessarily get any more funding but it’s a step in the right direction.

Though I think you’re being a bit too pessimistic. We’re by no means doing as much as we could in space we still have a decent presence, especially in areas like small satellite design.

I’d like to see the government put more effort into helping the commercial space industry in the UK, things like satellite design but also more novel areas like space tourism. I’d also really like them to push the ESA to fund Reaction Engines’ Skylon which could offer a revolution in space exploration.

Im sure they will find something similiar to NASA.

NASA = Never A Straight Answer

Your both right, on one hand maybe i should just cheer up and be happy with the fact we have one astronaut. The other hand we will be lied to anyway so why be bothered.

How about CHAVS...

Council
House
Aeronautical
Vehicular
Sciences

A British Space Agency?

It reminds me that Eddie Izzard skit about wanting to be a British Astronaut.

When I was a kid in school, the career advisor came to see us and said, "Look, I advise you to get a career, what can I say?" And he took me aside and he said, "What d'ya wanna do, kid? What do you wanna do with your life? Tell me your dreams!"

So I said, "I wanna be an astronaut! And go into outer space and discover things that no one's ever discovered before!"

He said, "Look, you're British, so scale it down a bit."

"All right, then I wanna work in a shoestore! And discover shoes that no-one's ever discovered! Right at the back of the shop on the left ..."

He said, "Look, you're British, so scale it down a bit!"

"All right, then I wanna work in a sewer. And discover sewage that no-one's ever discovered before. I'll pile it on my head, then come to the surface and sell myself to an art gallery."

He said, "What the f*** have you been smoking, eh? You certainly haven't been smoking in a bar in California!" (Because you can't! Yes ... no smoking in bars, and soon no drinking and no talking!)

It's true though that the U.K., steering clear to keep it's autonomy from the EU wouldn't have their own Space Agency, especially considering their Imperialistic past.

But then again....

H.M.R.S.S. - Her Majesty's Royal Space Service. That just doesn't sound very interesting, does it? Sounds as stuffy and boring as the Queen herself. Long live the Queen.

reply to post by fraterormus


I don't if that is what you were thinking, but as it is something that many people say, I would like to point that ESA is not related to the EU, only some of the members are the same (obviously).