Comments on: Local authorities in Scotland have approved spaceport concept https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/local-authorities-in-scotland-have-approved-spaceport-concept/ Wed, 24 Jun 2020 20:21:44 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: David K https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/local-authorities-in-scotland-have-approved-spaceport-concept/#comment-1083277 Wed, 24 Jun 2020 20:21:44 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=66735#comment-1083277 Just as the NRO made Rocketlab launch the NRO satellites from Virginia, I’m sure the UK will want to do the same thing. It doesn’t have to be in Scotland but it has to be somewhere.

With the UK leaving the E.U. and becoming a real country again, it is vitally important to national security to be able to launch its space assets from its own soil.

]]> By: A. Nonymous https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/local-authorities-in-scotland-have-approved-spaceport-concept/#comment-1083241 Wed, 24 Jun 2020 10:31:26 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=66735#comment-1083241 A land spaceport for p2p only really makes sense for a winged rocketplane, and the only real difference from an existing airport in that case is the ability to serve unpowered, gliding landings as a normal feature rather than as an emergency situation (and to supply rocket fuel, and perhaps a hangar large enough for a launcher aircraft). For a VTVL, well, Elon’s not designing CVN-sized barges just for grins; the massive noise generated on a regular (daily?) schedule would get suborbitals kicked out of most cities in a hurry, never mind the collateral risks of a crash in an urban environment.

]]> By: David M. Cook https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/local-authorities-in-scotland-have-approved-spaceport-concept/#comment-1083205 Wed, 24 Jun 2020 00:54:50 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=66735#comment-1083205 Ray, what about ”point-to-point“ travel by global rocket? Doesn‘t every large city need a spaceport?

]]> By: Ray Van Dune https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/local-authorities-in-scotland-have-approved-spaceport-concept/#comment-1083185 Tue, 23 Jun 2020 17:07:01 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=66735#comment-1083185 You are welcome, and I should have added, I agree with your assessment of the hurdles the project faces.

The market for a high-latitude private spaceport kind of escapes me. The former “Kodiak” location in Alaska at least offers a wide range of Southerly launch azimuths over the pretty damn near empty North Pacific.

This Moine location would seem to offer only Northerly launches, being blocked to the south by the UK and Ireland, and to the east by Scandinavia and Russia. Westerly? Oof… perhaps not a good option for smallsat-class boosters!

]]> By: Robert Zimmerman https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/local-authorities-in-scotland-have-approved-spaceport-concept/#comment-1083178 Tue, 23 Jun 2020 16:13:44 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=66735#comment-1083178 In reply to Ray Van Dune.

Ray Van Dune: Thank you. Typo fixed.

]]> By: Ray Van Dune https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/local-authorities-in-scotland-have-approved-spaceport-concept/#comment-1083177 Tue, 23 Jun 2020 16:11:46 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=66735#comment-1083177 “Hurtle” – Verb: to move at high speed, in an uncontrolled manner..
“Hurdle” – Noun: a barrier athletes in a foot race must jump over.

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