. 24/7 Space News .
SPACEMART
'We're at Beginning of New Phase of Utilizing Space For Peaceful Purposes'
by Staff Writers
Sydney (Sputnik) Aug 14, 2018

illustration only

The UK is looking to launch its first commercial rocket from its own soil by 2021. According to a report by CNBC, the global security and aerospace company - Lockheed Martin - has received the largest portion of United Kingdom Space Agency's funding to develop an orbital launch site for small rockets in Scotland.

Sputnik discussed the feasibility of the UK aim to launch commercial rockets with Professor Steven Freeland, Dean of the School of Law at Western Sydney University.

Sputnik: How feasible is the UK aim to launch commercial rockets for the first time amid the uncertainty of Brexit?

Steven Freeland: The potential demand for launch services for small satellites is going to grow exponentially over the coming years; indeed, my understanding is demand already exceeds supply in terms of launch services. So this is an excellent idea, to develop a launch service industry for small satellites, (but) in terms of its feasibility, obviously, it would depend on a whole range of issues, technical and financial, but the UK has a considerable amount of heritage and history and technical expertise in the area of space, and in particular, in the area of small satellites.

So I'm sure this is a well thought out process, but in the end, there are so many contingencies it's not possible to say that it's guaranteed to succeed, but certainly, they're looking at a market that has great potential.

Sputnik: How competitive will the UK be on rocket launches market in your view; does it have sufficient resources to compete with other countries?

Steven Freeland: Technically the UK is a very sophisticated country when it comes to space technology; working with companies like Lockheed Martin, which of course, have a lot of technological expertise. So in terms of competitiveness, they have to find the right market, they have to find an appropriate launch vehicle that would suit what they want it to do, and they have to build an appropriate facility.

But again, if they do all their work, given the nature of the way the worldwide small satellite industry is developing, I believe they can be very competitive. That said, the technology does change very quickly, the market is still quite fluid and if you get things wrong or if you use technology that quickly becomes obsolete, then your competitiveness can die away very quickly.

So obviously, nothing can be guaranteed, but anything we read and understand, and I've had quite a bit to do with some small satellite launches in other countries, certainly, if you believe what they say about the potential for the book of future launches, then I think it's a highly profitable industry with the right technology.

Sputnik: What about this initiative in the long run, could this further fuel the space race and what new perspectives can it open up?

Steven Freeland: Well that's a great question because I often talk about small satellites as the extra-terrestrial equivalent, if you like, of our mobile phones. If you think about our mobile phones, four or five, or six years ago we would've had no conception of what those phones allow us to do now, and what they will allow us to do in another four or five years; it's the same with small satellites.

This technology has gone very much from the experimental to the commercial and technical now, and it will allow a whole range of new entrepreneurial space actors into the market. They can move quickly, they've got great R and D and the barriers to entry for them are significantly lower because the cost is much lower, and in that respect, it's absolutely clear that small satellite technology will allow a whole range of additional types of activities to be accessible to a whole range of broader actors.

They won't replace traditional larger satellites which still are incredibly important to the way every country operates through the access to that technology, but they will allow for a whole range of new activities by new actors.

So yes, in a sense, there is a new space race, a new space technology race, and people talk about the democratization of space because now, in particular, this technology with the lower barriers to entry, allows for a whole new raft of additional activities. So in a sense, we're at the beginning of another phase in the way that we utilize space for peaceful purposes.

Sputnik: Initially the UK plans to launch small rockets, but do you think it can later move on to the heavier equipment or even weapons, can the US, for example, use the UK sites also to launch its own space forces, which it has been considering introducing for some time now, in terms of collaboration, what consequences could this have, especially in terms of space law?

Steven Freeland: Space law has a lot to say about military uses of space and will continue to do so, despite, what has been said by some people around the world. I do not regard space as a warfighting domain, and I certainly believe that space war does not sanction the inevitability of war in space.

Source: Sputnik News


Related Links
Space News
The latest information about the Commercial Satellite Industry


Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly


paypal only
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal


SPACEMART
NASA invests in concepts for a vibrant future commercial space economy
Washington DC (SPX) Aug 10, 2018
In an ongoing effort to foster commercial activity in space, NASA has selected 13 companies to study the future of commercial human spaceflight in low-Earth orbit, including long-range opportunities for the International Space Station. The studies will assess the potential growth of a low-Earth orbit economy and how to best stimulate private demand for commercial human spaceflight. The portfolio of selected studies will include specific industry concepts detailing business plans and viability for ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

SPACEMART
NASA makes progress toward planetary science decadal priorities

Recipe for a spacewalk

ISS end-of-life options

NASA announces new partnerships to develop space exploration technologies

SPACEMART
NASA Reveals How It Would Stay Afloat Without Delivery of Russian Rocket Engines

PLD SPACE signs a 25-year concession for rocket engine testing at Teruel Airport

Aerojet Rocketdyne boosters complete simulated air-launch tests

NASA Selects US Firms to Provide Commercial Suborbital Flight Services

SPACEMART
Aerojet Rocketdyne delivers power generator for Mars 2020 Rover

Still no change in Opportunity's status

Sorry Elon Musk, but it's now clear that colonising Mars is unlikely

Russia Plans to Send Capsule With Microorganisms to Mars

SPACEMART
China to launch space station Tiangong in 2022, welcomes foreign astronauts

China's SatCom launch marketing not limited to business interest

China solicits international cooperation experiments on space station

Growing US unease with China's new deep space facility in Argentina

SPACEMART
NASA invests in concepts for a vibrant future commercial space economy

New Image Gallery For The Planetary Science Archive

Xenesis, Atlas and Laser Light form first space to ground all optical global data distribution joint venture

Bangladesh PM opens satellite ground stations

SPACEMART
NASA studies space applications for GaN crystals

NIST shows laser ranging can 'see' 3D objects melting in fires

It's Surprisingly Hard to Go to the Sun

PhD student develops spinning heat shield for future spacecraft

SPACEMART
Scientist begins developing instrument for finding extraterrestrial bacteria

Tiny tunnels inside garnets appear to be the result of boring microorganisms

Largest haul of extrasolar planets for Japan

Omega Centauri unlikely to harbor life

SPACEMART
Study helps solve mystery under Jupiter's coloured bands

Million fold increase in the power of waves near Jupiter's moon Ganymede

New Horizons team prepares for stellar occultation ahead of Ultima Thule flyby

High-Altitude Jovian Clouds









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.