First rocket launch from UK soil now has... a logo
- Reference: 1649758092
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/04/12/rocket_result/
- Source link:
A design by six-year-old Callum Wilkinson was picked and will adorn the first rockets launching satellites from the UK later this year.
Wilkinson's design beat the entries of over 10,000 primary school children and features a satellite orbiting the Earth, with imagery representing the role of space technology in monitoring and tackling climate change.
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When the [2]competition was announced at the end of last year , the organizers looked for something that would create a sense of pride over the UK's space endeavors while also highlighting applications of small satellites used to keep an eye on the environment.
It is 60 years since the first cosmonaut reached orbit and 40 years since the Shuttle first left the launchpad [3]READ MORE
Wilkinson appears to have ticked all the boxes and, while he was the overall winner, there were also 13 regional winners.
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The winning entry
Although the International Day of Human Spaceflight was selected to show off the design (the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's flight and also the first launch of Space Shuttle Columbia) humans are unlikely to be launching from UK shores any time soon. Instead, there is almost a mini-space race taking place to see who will actually be first into orbit from a UK spaceport.
The UK Space Agency said "The UK's first small satellite launch is set to take place from Spaceport Cornwall later this year, followed by vertical launches from Scotland at both Space Hub Sutherland in the Highlands and SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland."
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We asked the UK Space Agency if this meant Wilkinson's artwork would adorn a Virgin Orbit LauncherOne rocket or fairing (due to launch from Spaceport Cornwall) or a booster from a vertical launch company eying SaxaVord (likely US-based ABL Systems and Lockheed Martin) or Sutherland (Orbex and its Prime rocket.)
[7]The Register gets up close and personal with ESA's JUICE spacecraft
[8]ESA's Sentinel-1A satellite narrowly dodges debris
[9]OneWeb turns to SpaceX for satellite launches
[10]UK space firm Skyrora opens rocket testing site in Scotland
The agency couldn't say with absolute certainty that Virgin Orbit would be first, but did tell us that the logo would indeed be stuck on the fairing.
As an engagement exercise, the Logo Lift Off competition has been a successful one and we look forward to Wilkinson's submission being plastered over a first commercial launch from UK soil before the artist gets too many more birthdays under his belt.
Sadly, there is no indication if the [11]potential for subversion warned of by B3ta.com co-founder Rob Manuel ever materialized. While the winners all seem very worthy, we hesitate to think of what other silliness turned up in the inbox. ®
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[1] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YlWiNl@L9ZRfD4p3BrPKMQAAARE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/29/doodle_a_rocket/
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/12/gagarin_columbia/
[4] https://regmedia.co.uk/2022/04/12/new_uk_space_logo.jpg
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YlWiNl@L9ZRfD4p3BrPKMQAAARE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
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[7] https://www.theregister.com/2022/04/11/esa_juice_visit/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2022/04/04/sentinel_1a/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/21/oneweb_spacex/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/17/skyrora_testing/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/29/doodle_a_rocket/
[12] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Surprisingly decent
You should see the kiddies cartoon that $BOSS paid real money for.
Please tell me it was an NFT, that would make it perfect
" Designed by a six-year-old, the design just needs a rocket on which to ride "
Have you asked Callum? If he can draw the logo I'm sure he could knock something up with Lego.
A pint for the lad, for when he's 18 - or at least at his first house party as a teenager.
Careful what you promise - at the current rate of going you mightn't be able to afford a pint by then...
Let's just hope the rocket flies by then.
Option...
Well if the UK launches never get off the ground, this could always be handed over to Trump to use for SPAACE FORCE.
For a six year old it's pretty impressive. But I wonder how they'll actually use it.
On another note, wouldn't it be good if the UK had a spaceport somewhere... useful? It's a shame Guyana decided they wanted independence as it hasn't exactly turned out well for them.
Not the first design of its kind
It is not the first design of this kind I have seen in my life.
I remember LOHAN Vulture 2 with its exterior design: https://www.theregister.com/2014/04/19/vulture_2_paintjob/
Hope this one will reach the stars though.
Well Done
Well done to Callum. Designing a logo for anything is difficult; just look at the terrible designs produced by 'grown up professionals'.
Further congratulations are surely due to Callum for confusing any aliens that might come across the discarded bit of rocket his logo is on. They'll never find our planet with it's ice beard disguise.
(On a personal note: I hate competitions of this sort. Why isn't there NEVER a category for artistically inept old duffers? Not that I'd enter, I just don't like the discrimination.)
Re: Well Done
>Well done to Callum
I think you mean "Well done Callum's Mum/Dad/Elder sibling"
So what are they going to call the vehicle with the logo on?
Spacey McSpace Face?
Surprisingly decent
I've never met a six year old who could draw that well.
You should see the kiddies cartoon that $BOSS paid real money for. Or maybe you shouldn't Oh dear, oh dear.