Rather than streamline red tape, a UK government committee proposes it should fund its space industry directly
Proposed spaceports surrounding Norwegian Sea
In a move that will do nothing to solve the red tape that has stymied the spaceports in Scotland as well as the launch industry in the United Kingdom, a Scottish government committee has concluded that the solution is for the UK government to become a direct investor in its space industry, increasing funding to both its spaceports and any launch companies that wish to use them.
The Scottish Affairs Committee heard from a number of experts and figures involved in the space industry. Professor Malcolm Macdonald, of Strathclyde University, said the UK had not always sustained its “first-mover” advantage in the space launch sector.
The report’s conclusion stated: “It is clear that the UK is falling behind its European counterparts in terms of public investment, leaving Scottish spaceports at a competitive disadvantage in a fast-moving global market. Without sustained backing from the Government – particularly in infrastructure – Scotland risks missing a generational opportunity to lead in space launch. To fully realise this potential, the UK Government needs to go further and faster.”
The MPs called for sustained Government investment in infrastructure.
The report also noted that despite a half-decade head start in establishing its spaceports in Scotland, the Andoya spaceport in Norway is now winning the race to become Europe’s prime spaceport.
Talk about not seeing the forest for the trees. The reason the UK’s spaceports have fallen behind is because its regulatory framework is impossible to navigate, taking years to get any approvals. But rather than fix this, this committee proposes throwing taxpayer money at the problem.
My prediction: It won’t work. Outside rocket companies will continue to move away from the UK, while any that get government investment to stay will find it difficult to get business, because it will still be impossible to get launch licenses when needed.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Proposed spaceports surrounding Norwegian Sea
In a move that will do nothing to solve the red tape that has stymied the spaceports in Scotland as well as the launch industry in the United Kingdom, a Scottish government committee has concluded that the solution is for the UK government to become a direct investor in its space industry, increasing funding to both its spaceports and any launch companies that wish to use them.
The Scottish Affairs Committee heard from a number of experts and figures involved in the space industry. Professor Malcolm Macdonald, of Strathclyde University, said the UK had not always sustained its “first-mover” advantage in the space launch sector.
The report’s conclusion stated: “It is clear that the UK is falling behind its European counterparts in terms of public investment, leaving Scottish spaceports at a competitive disadvantage in a fast-moving global market. Without sustained backing from the Government – particularly in infrastructure – Scotland risks missing a generational opportunity to lead in space launch. To fully realise this potential, the UK Government needs to go further and faster.”
The MPs called for sustained Government investment in infrastructure.
The report also noted that despite a half-decade head start in establishing its spaceports in Scotland, the Andoya spaceport in Norway is now winning the race to become Europe’s prime spaceport.
Talk about not seeing the forest for the trees. The reason the UK’s spaceports have fallen behind is because its regulatory framework is impossible to navigate, taking years to get any approvals. But rather than fix this, this committee proposes throwing taxpayer money at the problem.
My prediction: It won’t work. Outside rocket companies will continue to move away from the UK, while any that get government investment to stay will find it difficult to get business, because it will still be impossible to get launch licenses when needed.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
I still don’t understand how any of these north European space ports expect to function… As I have commented previously, in a bad winter season there can be minus °C for half the year, and even in summer the north sea and Norwegian sea are very unpredictable with frequent storms.
Presumably minds greater than mine have a business plan, and the nonsense spouted/to be implemented by the UK government is doing nothing to help. Pinko commie that I am, I agree that there are many occasions ( in most countries!) when the government should pull it’s horns in and let business thrive. This is definitely one such occasion.
If anyone has any information regarding how these spaceports are planning their launch cadence I will be most interested.
Lee S,
Rockets can be designed to operate in sub-zero weather. The U.S. military was interested in this for almost a century. Air launched rockets (air to air, air to ground) could easily see sub-zero temperatures. ICBMs need to launch whenever necessary, warm or freezing.
Storms are always a problem, so this in nothing new.
Worst case would be for a rocket that cannot take such cold temperatures, and they could launch in the northern hemisphere in summer, and launch at launch pads in the southern hemisphere in the summer. I’m not sure that any launch companies are planning this strategy, but it is something they could think about.
This is a typical response from the UK Government. Problems develop so they create regulations that impede progress, then complain that the progress is getting nowhere and fix the issue with more regulation. If you think their space industry has a problem, just get a look at their water systems. Ugh.
Edward says: “…a rocket that cannot take such cold temperatures…”
Like, perhaps a big solid? Perhaps nature is driving a design choice. Cheers –
Direct payments seem to work for the Royal Navy and their air force–let us Yanks build carriers and subs–time for the BIS or something to get defense level bank for a change.
SpaceX and China are alike in one important way–neither are cheapskates in terms of space funding.
The Brits cannot do space and be stingy at the same time. Fund spacelift–or QUIT.
@Joe…
You are correct about my home countries water infrastructure… It literally stinks. The result of 40 years of neglect due to privatisation, prioritizing shareholder profit over investment in upkeep and repair.
This is a visible real world example of where greater government oversight, or re-nationalisation is definitely called for. Critical infrastructure is not something to tender out to the lowest bidder.
Lee–
Oh yeah, it was all the “privatization” going on that ruined England, eh?
“The British Attempt to Construct a Socialist Commonwealth 1945-1951”
Gresham College/ Prof. Vernon Bogdanor
https://youtu.be/TEgvxQ_OhcU
(1:01:25)
“Labour’s 1945 election manifesto declared that it was a socialist party and proud of it. The Attlee government created the modern welfare state and the National Health Service and nationalized the public utilities.”
(As an aside– rationing of literally everything starting in 1939, did not formally end until 1954.)
Yorktown & Surrender
“Now or Never, Deliverance Must Come, We Attack the Redoubts at Nightfall” (September/October 1781)
TURN: George Washingtons Spies (2017)
https://youtu.be/JtYr_QD5dIA
5:55
@wayne
My friend, go take a trip and look at the UKs waterways and tell me then how successful privatisation of the water infrastructure has been in the long term. ( A clue… Not at all )…
The same can be said for public transport. Before I get jumped on, public transport is important in the UK, a small island with a large population. Millions of folks use public transport every day, the roads are literally bursting. Last time I was over there a journey from a friend’s apartment to the airport by taxi. took over 2 hours. 20 years ago it would have taken 25 minutes. Public transport is vital to get folks too and from work. And these days it just doesn’t work. Bus routes canceled, trains delayed if they run at all… The UK population is mighty mad, and these situations (and many more) are a direct result of privatisation . I understand you don’t/cant really understand the above, but take it from me, ( and you can’t deny I have boots on the ground experience) … Privatisation of infrastructure has bought nothing good to the British public.
Regarding rations ( I’m not sure that has much to do with the conversation)…. England had 7 holy bells of crap bombed out of it in WW2..(Unlike the US). of course it took a long time to rebuild, to rebuild a country worth being proud of. ( And for the record, the rations were worked out by the best nutritionists of the day… Leading to the healthiest generation ever. Average lifespan has been dropping since that generation has mostly left us)
Some things work for small nations that won’t work elsewhere.
@ Jeff Wright… Very correct, it is possible to travel the length of the UK in a few hours by public transport… Also a lot depends on the mindset of the population. This side of the pond we don’t mind the higher tax rates, but we expect more from our governments. Everytime I bring up this subject I tend to get how blind/stupid/brainwashed I am pointed out to me, strangely almost exclusively by folk that have never spent much, if any time in Europe.
I actually do understand the US mindset, even if I disagree with many aspects. That said, I know most of the folks here disagree with many aspects of my mindset… ( Understanding not so much )…. This is fine… If we all walked to the same drum the outcome can only be stagnation.
It is obvious that US politics is having rough time right now… I hope you guys sort it out.. the world is on fire right now and we don’t need more fire!
Correction….. It WAS “possible to travel the length of the UK in a few hours by public transport”…. Those days are sadly long gone.
I think that this reaction by the U.K. shows the very different attitudes of the British and the Americans. In Britain, government is the solution, which explains why government handles medical care, which explains the reputation of the British have bad teeth, and we were recently informed by Lee S. that the U.K. government cannot keep public transportation running well, either (but he thinks they could do water better). In America, government is the problem, which explains why medical care became so much worse after Obamacare took control of America’s medical industry and our now falling life expectancy, after a century of increasing life expectancy, and Obamacare made healthcare much more expensive, even though it was supposed to reduce the costs — instead of having to sell the house in order to afford life-saving care, we now have to sell our houses in order to afford the insurance* on the off chance that we will need life-saving care.
In the world of space exploration and utilization, when government was in charge, we made very slow progress after Apollo. The cost to launch payloads into orbit hovered around $10,000 per pound for decades. As soon as commercial space companies were allowed to design their own launch vehicles, the price per pound dropped to around $2,000 per pound, the price that satellite operators had said, in the 1990s, would allow many more companies to make money in space — and now many more companies are starting to make money in space, making rapid progress in space.
Every time a government tries to solve a problem for someone, it creates problems for others. Helping one person chooses a winner, and the others that have the resulting problems, no matter how small (e.g. an additional regulation) become losers. A friend is rewarded, and perhaps an enemy is punished. Even if the government did not want to punish anyone, there are always unintended consequences. The road to hell is paved with unintended consequences.
The U.K. said that it wanted its commercial companies to start making money in space, but overregulation has prevented that for the past several years. More regulation will not help. In both nations, government has been the problem.
In the U.S., we see that government getting out of our way is the solution.
American companies have four centuries of experience solving their own problems. It is when government tries to solve those problems that our problems get worse. This is why SpaceX develops its own rockets and spacecraft; the result is we get less expensive services. When the government set the requirements for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles in the 1990s, the resulting Atlas and Delta rockets remained too expensive for commercial customers, helping make the Ariane rockets successful, because Arianespace adapted properly in response to the over-regulated American launch market. SpaceX’s much less expensive Falcon rockets have caused problems for the success of Arianespace, which did not adapt adequately to the changing market. Most countries and over-regulated companies are having trouble adapting to the changing market. Especially in the U.K.
______________
* Health insurance is still mandatory in some states (thank you, Supreme Court, for misinterpreting the Sixteenth Amendment), no wonder so many people are fleeing California. Once you sell your house in order to pay for the health insurance, there is less reason to stay in the state. A consequence of over-regulation.
If all you have is a hammer . . .