UK Spaceport, where?
Discussion
The Queen's speech has a bill that will remove current restrictions on space launches from UK soil, which in theory will pave the way for a 'spaceport'. Obviously unlike the US, China etc we're a bit limited on space, where would you build it?
There are many unused/lightly used WWII airfields dotted about but most now have residential dwellings nearby. If going for a new build I'd stick Salisbury Plain in as an option. One of the least populated areas of the UK but still has excellent transport links.
There are many unused/lightly used WWII airfields dotted about but most now have residential dwellings nearby. If going for a new build I'd stick Salisbury Plain in as an option. One of the least populated areas of the UK but still has excellent transport links.
I can't imagine anywhere in the UK that's suitable once you consider things like sonic booms, distance from the equator and when you think about what happens if you had a failure to reach orbit and where your rocket lands - launching westward to avoid those again makes it more inefficient.
We could go wild and try and build a space elevator here instead, that'd be cool, try and bill the benefits of relatively mild weather and no earthquakes to offset not having any high mountains to go from.
We could go wild and try and build a space elevator here instead, that'd be cool, try and bill the benefits of relatively mild weather and no earthquakes to offset not having any high mountains to go from.
Depends on the launch method and desired orbit.
Conventional rocket for polar orbits you want to be as north as possible, so Scotland or Orkney.
Conventional rocket for equatorial orbits you want to be a close to the equator as possible so somewhere like Bermuda.
Skylon (if it ever gets built) is less restricted, but needs a runway long enough.
Conventional rocket for polar orbits you want to be as north as possible, so Scotland or Orkney.
Conventional rocket for equatorial orbits you want to be a close to the equator as possible so somewhere like Bermuda.
Skylon (if it ever gets built) is less restricted, but needs a runway long enough.
The UK is not ideally placed for launching satellites into earth orbit. The vast bulk of satellites are launched in an easterly direction either parallel to the earth's equator or at an angle up to about 50 degrees of the earth's equator.
Launching to the east makes use of the earth's spin as this gives the launch vehicle a "free" couple of thousand miles an hour boost that does not have to be provided by rocket thrust. This obviously keeps your rocket smaller and cheaper or allows larger payloads to be orbited.
The free boost is best nearer to the equator so the UK is not as competitive when pitching for launches as (say) Baikanour, Cape Canaveral or Korou in French Guiana.
Obviously, launching from the UK in an easterly direction will, in most cases, take your rocket over inhabited land masses - which is not ideal.
Launching in a westerly direction would be safer but it is far from ideal. Rockets are launched on westerly orbits but only when the demands of the mission requires it, which is not often.
Polar orbits ARE feasible from the UK. A launch site in Cornwall could send rockets in a southerly path down over the Bay of Biscay, avoiding any land. However, these are busy shipping and air travel routes so that would work against that location.
If Britain wants a practical and attractive to customers launch site, I'd look at Ascension Island in the South Atlantic.
Launching to the east makes use of the earth's spin as this gives the launch vehicle a "free" couple of thousand miles an hour boost that does not have to be provided by rocket thrust. This obviously keeps your rocket smaller and cheaper or allows larger payloads to be orbited.
The free boost is best nearer to the equator so the UK is not as competitive when pitching for launches as (say) Baikanour, Cape Canaveral or Korou in French Guiana.
Obviously, launching from the UK in an easterly direction will, in most cases, take your rocket over inhabited land masses - which is not ideal.
Launching in a westerly direction would be safer but it is far from ideal. Rockets are launched on westerly orbits but only when the demands of the mission requires it, which is not often.
Polar orbits ARE feasible from the UK. A launch site in Cornwall could send rockets in a southerly path down over the Bay of Biscay, avoiding any land. However, these are busy shipping and air travel routes so that would work against that location.
If Britain wants a practical and attractive to customers launch site, I'd look at Ascension Island in the South Atlantic.
ukaskew said:
I'm not aware of the detail but do the current laws stop launches of rockets slung under planes as well? i.e. would they allowed to take off from the UK even if the actual launch happens out over sea?
Air launched satellites are used on rare occasions. At the moment, the size of rocket that can be attached to an air launch platform is limited by the lifting capability of the aircraft. The current air launched system is operated by Orbital ATK who use a converted Lockheed Tristar airliner.Virgin has transferred one of their 747s to Virgin Galactic for conversion to an air launched satellite launcher.
Fastchas said:
I've heard the runway north of Barmouth and next to Shell Island is earmarked for Branson's Spaceplane 
The Branson Spaceplane is not intended for orbital flights - so where it launches from the globe is of no real importance from that standpoint. The main consideration is avoiding airlanes and populated areas - so Barmouth might not be a bad location for that type of operation. Although personally, I'd like miles of empty desert to have available as a landing strip - like at Mojave.Edited by Eric Mc on Wednesday 21st June 14:36
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_commercial_s...
These were the shortlist. I'd assume they are still the front-runners:
Campbeltown Airport
Glasgow Prestwick Airport
Stornoway Airport
Newquay Cornwall Airport
Llanbedr Airport
These were the shortlist. I'd assume they are still the front-runners:
Campbeltown Airport
Glasgow Prestwick Airport
Stornoway Airport
Newquay Cornwall Airport
Llanbedr Airport
Eric Mc said:
Most of them don't make sense at all to me. I just couldn't see ANY launches happening off any western based launch pads (Newquay excepted - perhaps) because rockets flying in an easterly direction (the preferred direction) will always pass over populated areas.
I don't know for sure but I think the competition was expecting spaceplanes more than rockets. Following the references on Wikipedia the competition envisaged Virgin Galactic and XCOR as the users of the facility. VG obviously takes off/lands from a conventional runway without rockets. I was not familiar with XCOR. The images on their website show a small shuttle like spaceplane. But no clear indication of launch methadology.I'd assumed that the real end-state customer was the ever-near, never actually tested Skylon!
Scotland has been highlighted as possibility
http://www.spaceportscotland.org
There has been a lot about it in the press
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-scotland-39025200/...
http://www.spaceportscotland.org
There has been a lot about it in the press
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-scotland-39025200/...
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