http://www.dti.gov.uk/consultations/page36442.html

Get the 40 page PDF - read it carefully - and then submit your response to the address included, once I've had the chance I'll post my response in here.

Doug

Doug, I'm a US citizen and obviously therefore not a direct stakeholder in UK policies, but I would like to offer a suggestion in good faith that might form a response to question 18, should UK citizens choose to consider it.

There was no direct reference to any activities beyond Earth observation that I could find anywhere in the document, despite recent reports that the UK is considering an independent lunar mission. My suggestion is that this statement should incorporate at least some goal(s) for UK-only Solar System exploration and space-based astronomy. These need not cite direct efforts, but at least lay the philosophical groundwork for future endeavours.

I hope that I'm not out of line with this post due to my citizenship and certainly do not mean to be presumptive. This is merely a suggestion from a Yank who thinks that British flags on the Moon & later Mars would be extremely cool...cheers!

Bloody yanks...




I'm getting through it - slowly - trying to really understand what they're going towards, but you are right - their goals are too modest imho.

Doug

...we have our moments! Good luck, you guys; fight the good fight.

Don't know if this is the right post to make reference to this but here it goes...
Were you guys aware of the opinions being expressed at BBC News? A pity the debate is now closed but, anyway, a good way to know what the "general public" is thinking...

Here's an example:

"Britain has always been a world leader in aerospace engineering. The biggest problem has always been the politicians, closing down projects almost literally before they get off the ground.

It would be great to see the Government do something right for once, and support this great endeavour - but without secretly pulling the funding once they've got the good publicity.

[KingDrax], Paignton, United Kingdom"

the National Space Center have a nice new website (unless I've just been missing it) ...

http://www.spacecentre.co.uk/

Nope- that's the same as it's been for ever. It's just a science centre/museum

http://www.bnsc.gov.uk/ is the governmental organisation.

http://www.scitech.ac.uk/ is the funding body.


Doug

Thanks. I was not aware of that museum and I think I got confused by the similar names. They certainly seem to have some interesting ideas for building interest. I intend to visit.

Ted and I have been ( I live about 15 minutes from it ) - there's the odd cool artefact in there, but as with most science museums, for the science geek, 90% of it is a bit tedious.

Were they involved in the Space Strategy process ?

I doubt it. If you've got Clubcard points - you can make the admission a lot cheaper

The building itself is worth seeing...

Ah yes, the worlds largest ribbed...er...structure.

the UK is going to start up their own independent (from ESA) Space Agency

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8404213.stm

That's just fantastic. I had cynically assumed it would probably never happen and given up even hoping that it could in these straitened times.

I hope they start a 'Friends of' -type organisation for interested members of the public, and I hope they're reading this.

Let's see if we actually get a proper organisation with proper funding.....or simply an umbrella title for the same chaotic mess we already have.

A valid cautionary note, but hey, let's cheer them on and then demand more if necessary. It sounds like a start and a place where leverage can be exerted.

I'm all for cheering on, but...



I think Casey Kasem's catchphrase is appropriate here.

Five days after announcing that there's going to be a UK space agency, an announcement that the UK is to withdraw from several missions, including Cassini-Huygens, Venus Express...

Official stuff here. Other coverage in the Guardian, Physics World; more links here.

Outraged? Let journalists know; write to your MPs!

That sounds bad bad bad

It's not good. A whole swathe of scientists and engineers and out reachers etc are going to leave. And they wont ever come back.

Unfortunately it's impossible to say much more without breaking forum guidelines - http://twitter.com/profbriancox is probably the 'point man' on the issue.

Disappointing, to say the very least.

It would be interesting for TPS to express an opinion, ideally though any official contacts it may have in the UK.