UK to splash another £1.4bn on protecting non-existent 'national interests in space'
- Reference: 1643805249
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/02/02/uk_mod_space/
- Source link:
The Defence Space Strategy, intended to "bolster our national interests in space," according to the UK's Ministry of Defence, was accompanied by a [2]speech from Chief of the Air Staff Sir Mike Wigston in which the usual bogeymen were trotted out.
"Russia and China have tested anti-satellite weapons creating debris fields that will linger for decades," warned Wigston, adding: "Russian satellites continually make close approaches to other satellites, what we call rendezvous and proximity operations, possibly an indication of espionage activity, or possibly rehearsing something much more sinister."
[3]
And the Middle Kingdom? "China seeks to become the world's pre-eminent space power by 2045, an aspiration supported by its developments in cyber, electromagnetic and kinetic systems that potentially could threaten other users in space."
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Strangely, Wigston did not mention the anti-satellite activities carried out by India or the United States.
As for the new cash, £968m is going on a multi-satellite programme dubbed "ISTARI" to support surveillance and intelligence for military operations. Perhaps somebody in the MoD has been spending a bit too much time with Tolkien.
[6]
Another £61m is going on laser communications technology. A demonstrator called MINERVA (on which work has already started) will snaffle £127m and develop a satellite network capable of collecting and disseminating data aimed at supporting frontline military forces.
[7]SpaceX Starlink sat streaks now present in nearly a fifth of all astronomical images snapped by Caltech telescope
[8]ESA boss gives update on stricken Sentinel-1B imaging satellite: All is not lost yet
[9]European Space Agency: Come on, hack our satellite if you think you're hard enough
[10]Robotic arm on China's space station does a demo, swings out 20 degrees and back while holding cargo ship
While no date was slapped on MINERVA, the investment will be over four years. ISTARI's cash will be spread over 10 years.
It was not immediately clear what else the £1.4bn will be spent on. Presumably not the wallpaper at MoD Headquarters.
While the strategy was big on satellites and research and development, scant attention was paid to actually getting the spacecraft into orbit.
Volodymyr Levykin, boss of Edinburgh-based Skyrora, commended the Ministry of Defence for "articulating a strategic vision" but cautioned that "greater engagement and investment is needed from the UK government to ensure that sovereign launch capabilities become a reality."
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"Currently," he said, "the UK could benefit from shifting its focus from the direction of space in the US to the potential on its own soil."
"In reality, the current investment does not accurately reflect the promise of the UK space industry and where it will be in 2032.
"Most importantly, spacetech companies in the UK need to understand how they can engage with the government on these projects and gain traction. In order for this strategy to be a success, the government simply must look beyond academic institutions to enable commercial entities to succeed and allow the UK's space industry to flourish." ®
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[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-cutting-edge-space-defence-backed-by-14-billion
[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/chief-of-the-air-staff-defence-space-strategy-speech
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Yfq4u4bQPN0Fg40xaIgxLwAAAA4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Yfq4u4bQPN0Fg40xaIgxLwAAAA4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Yfq4u4bQPN0Fg40xaIgxLwAAAA4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Yfq4u4bQPN0Fg40xaIgxLwAAAA4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2022/01/20/starlink_satellite_streaks_caltech/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2022/01/19/esa_sentinel_1b/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2022/01/11/ops_sat_hack/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2022/01/07/chinas_space_station_robotic_arm/
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Yfq4u4bQPN0Fg40xaIgxLwAAAA4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
"Interest in something"
translation: wanting to make money with something
represent somebody's interest = make money with somebody else's work / ideas
advocacy group / interest group = make sure the money stays within a circle of... friends...
(found it in a book by... Jean Effel, I think)
UK Space Race
We just need a v2.0 of this classic UK heavy lift launcher.
https://youtu.be/pJdrlWR-yFM
Re: UK Space Race
I thought you might have been linking to this:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb0ooQKbflM
How about this...
Grab a politician, fling them into space, sprang them off the desired satelite, and send them both zipping off into the Sun.
If we ever run out of satelites that need smacking, start in on clearing the ever smaller bits of space debris.
Once the debris has been cleared, aim for all those "killer asteroids" or other heavenly bodies that threaten the planet.
We'll rid ourselves of politicians, clear the skies, and give proper sacraficial offerings to the Sun God, Carl. He's getting grumpy that nobody pays Him any attention. This would be a nice way to show Him that we still care.
=-)p
UK niche?
> "Russia and China have tested anti-satellite weapons creating debris fields that will linger for decades," warned Wigston, adding: "Russian satellites continually make close approaches to other satellites, what we call rendezvous and proximity operations, possibly an indication of espionage activity, or possibly rehearsing something much more sinister."
...
Strangely, Wigston did not mention the anti-satellite activities carried out by India or the United States.
Someone is going to have to clean up that mess...
R.U.R?
> It was not immediately clear what else the £1.4bn will be spent on.
> scant attention was paid to actually getting the spacecraft into orbit.
Refurbed USSR Rockets?
Perhaps somebody in the MoD has been spending a bit too much time with Tolkien
Could be worse, could be VALIS
Home Sec
Is Priti Patel still on Viasat's books? Asking for a friend.