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> the UK space launch industry as a whole Was the UK ever a good place for space launches in the first place? It's too far from the equator.
by SideburnsOfDoom 4y ago
> the UK space launch industry as a whole
Was the UK ever a good place for space launches in the first place? It's too far from the equator.
- peoplearepeople 4y agoCountries often want independent capabilities even if it costs more. And plenty of of launch types don't care about distance to the equator, for example polar orbits. Lots of launch sites are very north, for example Baikonur, Plesetsk, and Vostochny.
- basementcat 4y agoSome satellites have polar or higher inclination orbits.
- ta1243 4y agoUK is perfect for launches to about 55 degree retrograde inclination You wouldn't want to launch into a sun-syncrhonous orbit from the Equator. Or from Florida or Cape Canaveral for that matter. The delta-V you start with which is great for an equatorial launch has to be shed to get into a polar or near-polar orbit. From Scotland though, there's far less Delta V than Florida, or from French Guiana.
- BitwiseFool 4y agoThe UK's only orbital rocket launched from Australia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Arrow https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Arrow