UK spaceports UK spaceports and launchers UK spaceports and launchers Destination_space_phase_3_divider_artwork_19_v2.indd 3 20/09/2019 13:38 www.destinationspace.uk Destination_space_phase_3_divider_artwork_19_v2.indd 4 20/09/2019 13:38 www.destinationspace.uk UK spaceports and launchers ‘LaunchUK’ aims to enable small satellite launch and suborbital spaceflight from the UK. The space industry is rapidly growing Where will UK spaceports be? and evolving. A key driver is the demand for small satellites which provide data, Several locations in the UK are developing their communications and even platforms to spaceport ambition including: conduct scientific experiments. • Campbeltown Airport, Scotland • Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Scotland The UK is set to be a key player on this • Snowdonia (Llanbedr Airport), Wales international stage, expanding not only • Cornwall Airport Newquay, England our own access to space, but providing an • Shetland, Scotland attractive investment opportunity for the • Sutherland, Scotland new generation of international commercial • Western Isles, Scotland space companies. Plans are now underway to develop Spaceports in the UK a vertical launch sites in Sutherland, Western Isles and Shetlands. The UK is renowned for its space industry Horizontal launch sites are proposed expertise with a skilled workforce and engineering at Cornwall, Snowdonia, Prestwick and capacity that sets the UK as a world leader in the Campbeltown. manufacture of small satellites. This first set of sites all intend to support the UK’s The UK is also in a great position to launch small developing small satellite launch operations, satellites into polar and sun-synchronous orbits. and horizontal launch sites could be used for The emergence of spaceports within the UK will suborbital passenger spaceflight in the future. allow UK companies to offer a complete package The spaceports have announced plans to work from concept, to launch. In this way, the UK can with various launch companies such as Orbex, keep up with demand, maximise the productivity Lockheed Martin and Virgin Orbit. and return on its excellent space industry, and Several companies, working with their partners attract new investment so as to continue to and the UK government, hope to be the first to harness UK skills in space technology, creating launch a UK rocket from a UK spaceport, with new jobs and opportunities. proposed spaceports with ambitions to be operational by the early 2020s. Image: Liftoff of Space Shuttle Atlantis. Launches often attract visitors to watch them. Credit: NASA | 5 www.destinationspace.uk What is a spaceport? Similar to an airport but for spacecraft Similar to an airport for aircraft, spaceports Modern spaceports launch, and for horizontal spaceports, receive spacecraft. With an increasing Modern spaceports now take a variety of roles due demand for low-cost access to space, and to increasing diversity in the missions that national with governments and companies across the and commercial space organisations want to fly. globe becoming increasingly reliant on small Spaceports may be designed for horizontal or satellites, new and proposed spaceports are vertical launch, for human or uncrewed missions, being developed around the globe. with the requirements of the launch vehicles Early spaceports varying with the size of the payloads. Rapid advances in consumer electronics have Most of the early spaceports came from the desire transformed satellite technology, driving down the to test rockets for military and scientific reasons. costs of the payload with the ever-decreasing size The world’s first spaceport is the Baikonur of satellites that can now be built. Space tourism Cosmodrome. Built in Kazakhstan, it was from here is also now becoming a realistic, commercial that Sputnik 1 was launched into orbit in 1957 and enterprise. These drivers are attracting public and Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space in (increasingly) private companies who are keen to 1961. Tim Peake was also launched into space from capitalise on space-based opportunities. Baikonur in December 2015. In the UK, we are hoping to build several spaceports that will eventually fulfil this role of orbital launch and provide opportunities for space tourism. As experts predict a future of increased activity and profitability in the commercial space launch sector, the UK will be able to capture a large share of this global market. Image: Baikonur spaceport, Kazakhstan. Credit: NASA 6 | www.destinationspace.uk Types of launch Horizontal vs vertical When we think of space travel, we often For example, Newquay aerodrome in Cornwall has imagine a rocket launching vertically been proposed as a spaceport site for horizontal upwards, but the UK is also exploring launch. It will use a 2.7km runway. horizontal launch. Will we still launch vertically? A new solution The UK has a long history of vertical launch, Horizontal launches involve specialised aircraft that including launching larger rockets from Woomera take off horizontally. Requiring less thrust and less in Australia. The UK also works with other fuel to reach high altitudes, once the horizontal countries, utilising their launch sites and rockets launch craft can go no higher, it will either switch to for our payloads. a rocket engine or deploy a rocket-powered craft The rockets used to launch satellites into space that has “piggy-backed” on it in order to power the from the UK will be much smaller than the satellites into space and into orbit. Russian-built Soyuz, or ESA’s Vertical launches are still the preferred method Ariane 5 or Vega rockets, of spaceflight for heavier payloads, but horizontal because the payload of the launches can be carried out more frequently using smaller satellites is lighter and existing airport facilities which have been adapted requires less fuel. so it’s important that the UK creates opportunities Sites of vertical launches are for both launch types. a source of space tourism in their own right, due to the spectacle of rockets taking off and powering into space, so it is exciting that spaceports are being developed in northernmost Scotland as vertical launch sites. Top image: Virgin Orbit Cornwall. Credit: Virgin Orbit Bottom image: render of Sutherland spaceport. Credit: Orbex | 7 www.destinationspace.uk Whoosh Rocket A speedy mini-rocket With rockets set to launch from UK shores, the open flame to the nozzle. The mixture in the this activity can help people understand the bottle will ignite and your rocket will shoot down basic principles of rocketry. the track. What does it show? Following launch, the rocket will be warm to the touch, but safe to handle. The This mini rocket uses an ordinary plastic bottle experiment can be re-run a second time with a nozzle attached. The bottle has a small with the addition of more fuel. However, amount of ethanol in it which is vaporised, mixed make sure there is enough new air (oxygen) with oxygen from the air and then ignited. in the bottle. This combustion produces carbon dioxide, water Slow motion video of the reaction vapour and energy in the form of heat. The heat This mini rocket burns quickly and fires fast. causes the gas inside the bottle to expand, forcing To showcase the reaction inside, turn the the gas through the rear nozzle at high speed. This lights down and film the launch with a high- propels the rocket along. speed camera on a smartphone and play it This is the same as in full-scale rocket launches, back in slow motion. when kerosene or another rocket fuel ignites in the This should capture the reaction occuring rocket engine and provides propulsion to launch within the rocket and the footage can be the rocket into space. exported to a presentation to show what is How to run the activity happening. If it is safe to do so, you may ask teachers and other adults to film using their Lay the rocket-launching track (the guttering) own phones. down on a table or the floor, facing away from any people and doors. Add 2-4 ml of ethanol to the bottle and screw on Health and Safety the nozzle. Place your finger over the end of the nozzle and shake the bottle vigourously for 30-60 Take care when using, transporting and storing seconds to vaporise the ethanol fuel and to mix it ethanol, as it is flammable. with the air and oxygen inside the bottle. The audience or demonstrators should never sit or stand in front of the bottle. Keeping your finger over the end of the nozzle, After the demonstrations have been carried place the bottle in the rocket-launching track and out, carefully dispose of any liquid left inside pick up the lighter. the bottle and leave the lid off to allow the air Remove your finger from the end of the bottle to refresh inside. Each time, check the bottle (there may be a small hiss or spray from the for any defects, melted patches, cracks etc. pressure of the vaporised fuel) and quickly bring 8 | www.destinationspace.uk Where in the world to put a spaceport What features do the major launch sites have in common? The drywipe globe gives us a full world map Invite people to look at the positions of the launch that we can draw on and easily wipe clean sites on the globe and see what they notice about then draw on again. Use this to discuss them. requirements of launch sites. They should notice that: What does it show? a They are often sited close to the equator (within the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn). The drywipe globe shows country boundaries and b They are often on the eastern coast of their can be easily annotated, cleaned and re-annotated. respective landmasses. There are currently only 32 rocket launch sites Discuss the following reasons why these launch in existence around the world for commercial sites have these common features: or government-led launches.