UK spaceports: NASA could launch satellites from new bases, Sky News
“Jim Bridenstine, who was appointed as NASA’s administrator by US president Donald Trump earlier this year, said the UK government’s plans for new spaceports open new opportunities. “We are thrilled about this. “It’s about what we are trying to launch, where do we want it to go in orbit and who can provide the best price. “The UK and the US have a long partnership in space exploration,” he added. “I would see NASA putting satellites on top of a rocket that launches from the UK,” he said.”

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6 replies on “NASA Might Launch From The UK”

  1. Another interesting point about the planned UK launch site is the users. Lockheed Martin was listed in the press reports, and listed as considering the site to launch Rocket Labs’ Electron. One story was specific enough to mention it would be a LMA vehicle to put multiple spacecraft in different orbits. That’s odd, since Rocket Labs has a tested (once) third stage that does the same thing. Also mentioned was something about LMA having invested significantly in Rocket Labs, which I hadn’t heard before.

    1. Given the number of American (US) companies with factories in other countries, and the number of foreign companies with factories in the US, I’m really sure what “Buy American” means anymore. It’s one thing if it means better jobs for your neighbors, and something quite different (in my opinion) if it means more income for multimillionaire who happen to live the same country.

    1. According to an Engadget article “Europe’s first spaceport on the A’Mhoine Peninsula in Sutherland, Scotland”. They also say that the UK is looking at additional launch sites in Cornwall, Argyll and Wales:

      https://www.engadget.com/20…

      1. It’s important to realize that this is just a study. Totaling up all the funding I’ve seen reported, we’re talking about 36 million pounds to _study_ a launch facility in Sutherland. It’s not like they are operational, or even have blueprints.

        I will say Sutherland seems well-located. It’s about as far north as you can get in mainland Scotland. With a few gaps for the Faroe’s and Orkney’s, they have a clear, over-ocean launch corridor for just about all the useful, near-polar orbits I can think of. Including the slightly retrograde, Sun-synchronous ones. By some odd coincidence, Rocket Lab’s New Zealand launch site is extremely similar in that respect.

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