Space News
space history and artifacts articles

Messages
space history discussion forums

Sightings
worldwide astronaut appearances

Resources
selected space history documents


Thread Closed  Topic Closed
  collectSPACE: Messages
  ESA - JAXA - China - International
  UK candidates for ESA astronauts?

Post New Topic  
profile | register | preferences | faq | search

next newest topic | next oldest topic
Author Topic:   UK candidates for ESA astronauts?
issman1
Member

Posts: 1042
From: UK
Registered: Apr 2005

posted 12-15-2007 10:55 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for issman1     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The UK has announced its intention to build a lunar probe called MoonLITE for possible launch by NASA in 2012.

ESA, meanwhile, intends to select 4 new astronauts in 2008.

Is it just possible the UK government may finally nominate a candidate to participate in NASA's Vision for Space Exploration?

eurospace
Member

Posts: 2610
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 12-15-2007 04:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for eurospace   Click Here to Email eurospace     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
They can nominate as many candidates as they wish, but they won't get any selected. The UK needs to contribute to the financing of the manned projects, then they will get the opportunity to propose candidates for the astronaut corps. No buck, no Buck Rogers. And there are no free rides (except for Helen Sharman).

issman1
Member

Posts: 1042
From: UK
Registered: Apr 2005

posted 12-15-2007 06:38 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for issman1     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I fully concur the UK must contribute towards the manned programme of ESA. Sadly past government attitudes here would only please Luddites!

But opinion appears to be changing. And though I do not foresee any major UK participation in the ISS, Orion and the Moon is a realistic prospect (of course, that depends on who is the next US president.) Maybe we shall follow the Malaysian route, and fly astronauts under a national space agenda?

But I would prefer the UK cooperated multilaterally through ESA.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 02-13-2008 11:27 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
BBC News: Ministers consider UK astronauts
The government is to launch a formal review into whether British astronauts should take part in the international exploration of space.

The review has been prompted by growing fears that the UK might lose out in the next wave of space travel.

International space agencies have set out ambitious plans in a document called the Global Exploration Strategy.

Science Minister Ian Pearson said space was "increasingly important" and worth £7bn to the British economy.

medaris
Member

Posts: 181
From: United Kingdom
Registered: Mar 2007

posted 02-14-2008 06:05 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for medaris   Click Here to Email medaris     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The document is available here.

The BBC report says the BNSC will report back to the UK Government in 6 - 12 months with its views on whether involvement in human space flight is appropriate.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 10-09-2008 10:32 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
BBC News: Minister wants astronaut 'icon'
Britain's new science minister has made it clear that he thinks the country ought to have an astronaut.

Lord Drayson said the UK needed "icons" for science, to encourage the next generation to take up subjects that would boost the knowledge economy.

Human spaceflight was one of those arenas that could inspire young people, he told BBC News.

The minister is awaiting the outcome of a formal review into UK policy. It will report in the next few months.

...the European Space Agency (ESA) is currently recruiting its next batch of astronauts and several Britons remain in the selection race. Whether any of them actually get called into the astronaut corps, however, may depend on the UK putting many millions of pounds into an ESA programme it has steadfastly refused to fund for 20 years.

All times are CT (US)

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Administrative Options: Open Topic | Archive/Move | Delete Topic
Post New Topic  
Hop to:

Contact Us | The Source for Space History & Artifacts

Copyright 2020 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved.


Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.47a





advertisement