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On the plus side, it's remote. But it's hard to get my satellite there, and the weather there doesn't seem ideal for launching rockets. I'd expect the east of
by delibes 8y ago
On the plus side, it's remote.
But it's hard to get my satellite there, and the weather there doesn't seem ideal for launching rockets.
I'd expect the east of the UK to be better for both access and available launch dates. Perhaps air traffic corridors are a problem.
- walshemj 8y agoI would assume that its for specific orbits - Ascension Island would make a better site for traditional launches.
- DmenshunlAnlsis 8y agoI wonder if they’re also thinking about the future of suborbital transport? It seems distant to me, but it might play into the investment if they think this could be the Heathrow of suborbital transit in the future.
- JumpCrisscross 8y agoHeathrow would be the Heathrowof civilian suborbital transit.
- isostatic 8y agoPossibly, Heathrow is pretty crowded, but somewhere within half an hour of London yes. A site on HS2, preferably in the most NIMBYest area, would be good.
- toomanybeersies 8y agoI don't think the northern tip of Scotland is the best place to put a suborbital transport facility.
- delibes 8y agoYep, I agree Scotland is fine for polar and sun-synchronous orbits.
- gerdesj 8y agoHave you ever tried to drive a lorry with a satellite on it from here to Ascension? (It's a tricky road - lol!)
- isostatic 8y agoIf you can't afford to fly it to Ascension, you can't afford to launch it.
- falsedan 8y ago> it's hard to get my satellite there Pretty sure if your satellite doesn't fit on the back of a lorry you're going to have a hard time launching it from anywhere. What does this even mean
- tintor 8y agoAs long as spaceport is by the sea you can ship your satellite to it.
- benwilber0 8y agowait a second. can I launch my own satellite into outer space?
- ChuckMcM 8y agoAbsolutely, it just costs money.
- toomanybeersies 8y agoFor the low price of only $80,000, you can launch your own 1U cubesat with Rocket Lab [1]. For that price, you can launch a 10x10x10cm satellite, with a maximum weight of 1.3 kg, into a 500 km sun synchronous orbit. [1] https://www.rocketlabusa.com/book-my-launch/ https://www.rocketlabusa.com/book-my-launch/
- matte_black 8y agoHow long would a satellite like that last before being destroyed?
- mlindner 8y agoDepends on the orbit it's in. If it's high enough, it will last long past your death. Whether it keeps working that long, probably not. Radiation damage accumulates reasonably rapidly and most cubesats don't live more than a few years, if that.
- toomanybeersies 8y agoThey're planning on launching Electron rockets from the site, which have a payload of 150–225 kg. You could fit that kind of payload in the boot of your car.
- m-i-l 8y ago> On the plus side, it's remote. It is actually relatively accessible compared to the other two proposed spaceport sites, which are both on relatively remote islands: Unst on the Shetland Islands, and North Uist in the Outer Hebrides Islands[0]. [0] http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2018/07/16/unst-spaceport-still-on-course-despite-green-light-for-sutherland http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2018/07/16/unst-spaceport-sti...
- pjc50 8y agoCan't find a reference now, but apparently there's a "weather hole" over the area that gives it unusually high number of clear days. Related to the North Atlantic Current. It's also handy for satellites constructed in Glasgow by ClydeSpace and others: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/38804310 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/38804310 "In the last two years Glasgow has built more satellites than any other city in Europe".