A UK rocket launch would be an extremely exciting development for the British space industry. The UK is already one of the world leaders when it comes to space exploration research and space start-ups. British investors have high hopes that there will soon be several functional spaceports in operation as early as 2022.
There are also many exciting UK projects in the works in terms of building new space technology and testing small rockets. For example, the Shetland space center carried out a test launch last year, sending a small rocket into space from the bases’ vertical launch pads. Experts hope that this will be the first of many British spaceflights in the coming years.
Space Bases Have High Hopes for Regular UK Rocket Launch
Several UK space bases are preparing to launch small rockets into space. These space centers are located at various points around the country, and all hope to gain approval for regular UK launches. These space stations include several bases in Scotland and one in Cornwall.
These locations are ideally situated for UK rocket launch because they are sparsely populated coastal regions with plenty of remote space for debris to fall. The UK is currently examining legislation around the building and maintenance of space centers in these areas to finalize environmental approval. It is expected that all of these potential bases will receive the go-ahead and will be able to proceed with plans for opening in 2022 or early 2023.
Where Are British Rocket Launch Sites?
There are currently seven UK space centers preparing for future operations. The UK space industry is confident that by the end of 2022, there will have been several launches of small rockets from at least one of the stations. Some of these centers will also have research capacity and hope to add to our growing body of knowledge and resources regarding space travel.
Shetland Space Centre
Based on the Isle of Unst, on the Shetland Isles, the Shetland Space Centre has plans to launch both orbital and suborbital rockets with a payload of up to 1000kg. The center also has developed facilities for fuel storage and data research projects. The company has vertical launch pads for launching UK rocket flights. The center is due to be operational by 2022.
Spaceport Cornwall
Located on the Cornish coast, Spaceport Cornwall is another of the UK space bases that is due to begin full operations in 2022. Spaceport Cornwall is the only UK space center with horizontal launch pads and plans to send small rockets into low orbit. These rockets can have a payload capacity of up to 300kg.
Spaceport Cornwall will also have a research facility and laboratory on-site. This space center hopes to be ready to launch a small space plane next year. There are hopes that this will be the first of many successful future space flights from this base.
Why is Satellite Research Important?
Satellite research and the presence of satellites in space are fundamental to many of the technological systems that we rely on day-to-day. Things like navigation technology, climate science, and weather predictions all use satellite capacity to collect data. Satellite technology developers are also currently working towards providing wireless internet from space.
One of the most important areas of satellite research is climate change. One British satellite funding project has recently commissioned three satellites from a British company to help measure the impact of global warming. These satellites can send high volumes of data to Earth and help track climate patterns and wildlife behavior to help farmers predict crop failure. This will help prevent famine and create more sustainable food growth. The UK space agency put 15 million towards this project.
Conclusion
Space technology development is a vital part of efforts to slow climate change and improve human life on Earth. The development of new space centers and research facilities allows us to increase our understanding of the planet and the universe beyond it. It also allows us to gather data and spot patterns that we could never access otherwise.
Final Call: Are you fascinated by space travel? Do you think humans will one day live in space? Let us know in the comments!