Fifty years after the UK sent its first satellite into space, a Scottish town is among rivals vying for another shot
large band of battered metal has been placed on a stand at the entrance of Skyrora’s rocket manufacturing hall in Cumbernauld in central. Six feet in diameter, the loop is perforated, torn and twisted, a result of being blasted into space and then dropped on to the Australian outback where it has lain for almost 50 years until its recent recovery.
“The launch of Black Arrow in 1971 was Britain’s only successful placing of a satellite into orbit. So we brought back a piece of it – a faring that connected the first and second stages before it fell to Earth – and have put it at the entrance of our manufacturing hall to make it clear that, after half a century, we are back in business and ready to go into space again,” said Euan Clark, a project team lead at Skyrora.
The rebirth of UK satellite launching – which will be dominated by spaceports located north of Hadrian’s Wall – is the result of the dramatic miniaturisation of modern electronics. Early spacecraft were the size of cars and required massive launchers. Today, satellites are often the size of shoeboxes that need only modest launchers, like the Skyrora XL.
Engineers at Cumbernauld are constructing engines for the first orbital flight of Skyrora XL, which is planned for next year. The quiet tempo at its manufacturing plant will change dramatically after that.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Comedian London Hughes: ‘I made more money in one year in America than my whole life in Britain’Fed up with the white boys’ club of British standup, a one-way ticket to LA finally brought fame to the ‘comedy Beyoncé’. Now she has written a memoir detailing her rise from bullied teen to transatlantic hit
Read more »
‘Children without a bed aren’t going to be interested in school’: can Britain’s north-south education divide be repaired?This year’s GCSE and A-level results exposed devastating inequalities. But Tory promises to help ring hollow
Read more »
China wants to erase Tibet. Will Britain stay quiet about this crime?The US has taken a public stand over China’s crimes against humanity. In Beijing this week, the UK foreign secretary should do the same and shame his hosts
Read more »
Why England’s green power revolt mirrors Australia’sBritain’s booming offshore wind industry urgently needs more grid capacity. Just like Australia, locals are resisting the rollout of wires and pylons.
Read more »
Europe turns to International Space Station in race to the moonIndia became the first nation on earth to successfully land an aircraft on the south pole of the moon this week. Now, a European astronaut is taking over as the commander of the International Space Station, part of a long term plan for a permanent base on the lunar surface.
Read more »
More social space, less traffic noise: The award-winning reno on a busy intersectionWith a series of strategic courtyards merging indoor and outdoor spaces, this transformation of a Federation-era home in St Kilda has won a slew of gongs.
Read more »