Rocketeers.co.uk - a British view of commercial spaceflight

Stephen Ashworth has posted the latest issue of his Astronautical Evolution newsletter, which has an excellent summary of the profound changes in US space policy which appear to be underway:

• AstroEV #54: Ares to be scrapped, commercial space boosted -- Astronautical Evolution

Rocketeer comments: It's deeply frustrating that all of this is happening when I've been asleep at the wheel. Don't worry, I will be regaling the world with my opinions, just as soon as I've caught up!

British IT news website The Register is progressing with plans for the Paper Aircraft Released Into Space (PARIS) programme --- to launch a paper plane from near-space altitudes with a high-flying balloon:

• El Reg space bureau firms up PARIS kit list -- The Register

The plane will be instrumented with a miniaturised GPS unit and small digital camera.
The work is supported by Robert Harrison, whose Icarus Project has already launched a number of payloads to high altitude.

Jonathan Amos of the BBC profiles British-born astronaut Nicholas Patrick, and his role in the upcoming STS-130 Shuttle mission to deliver the Tranquility node and Cupola to the ISS:

• The highest-flying Yorkshireman is 'go for launch' -- Spaceman blog, BBC

Rocketeer comments: Best of luck, Nick, from one Yorkshireman to another! ;-)

Yes, I'm still here :-) Got a lot of things to catch up on as I've been out of circulation for a while (being ill for three weeks with pneumonia will do that to you ;-p).

There will be a period of downtime in the near future, as I have to port the site to a new server, as the server it's currently residing on is shutting down due to circumstances beyond my control. I'll also take the opportunity to upgrade some of the blogging software at the same time.

BAA electronic bulletin No. 00461 http://www.britastro.org/

Dear Colleague

The Campaign for Dark Skies (CfDS) and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) are hosting a one day conference on January 22nd at De Montfort University, Leicester, UK. We hope that you will be interested in attending (for which there is no charge).

The aim of the conference is to bring together organisations with an interest in light pollution and its effects. We can discuss the nature of the existing problems and explore a way forward. We believe the outcome of the meeting could be very beneficial to all concerned; there is a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise available on this subject but so far it has perhaps lacked a cohesive approach in influencing Government. We would very much welcome your participation in this event. We have also invited other interested bodies.

Our two organisations feel the most pressing and immediate objective is to urge the Government to fulfil its promise to control light pollution at the planning stage. The CfDS and CPRE gave evidence at the 2003 Science & Technology Select Committee report on Light Pollution and Astronomy. As a result of this report the Government accepted the need to control artificial lighting, and it became subject to the law of statutory nuisance.

The Government also gave an undertaking to control light via an annex to Planning Policy Statement 23 – PPS23. However this has yet to bepublished despite correspondence and indeed Questions in the House of Commons. Of course the general election is pending and an incoming administration might not feel obliged to implement its predecessor’s promises, adding urgency to our call for action.

We are not alone in being frustrated at the lack of progress in the implementation of PPS23. The recently published Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution “Report on Artificial Light in the Environment” specifically recommended not only that the lighting annex
to PPS23 be implemented.

We are sure this will prove to be a very fruitful event; we have much to learn and share with one another. We do hope very much that you will be able to attend. Please reply to Martin Morgan-Taylor (mart@dmu.ac.uk) if you are able to attend, and you will be sent full joining
instructions.

Bob Mizon
Co-ordinator
The Campaign for Dark Skies

(Source: Public Service)

A government commissioned report outlining popular jobs of the future has highlighted body part maker, space pilot and alternative vehicle developer as exciting new career paths.

In The Shape of Jobs to Come report, experts predict that the advance of science and technology, population growth and climate change will likely create careers that are virtually unrecognisable today.

The digital revolution will create jobs for virtual lawyers and waste data handlers, while virtual teachers – in the form of avatars – could be managed externally by 'devotees' who match students with their 'teacher'.

Traditional roles within medicine and farming are expected to rely more heavily on the use of robots and computers. The study also predicts that nano-medics will become a real career path, paving the way for the discovery of new treatments for disease.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "A priority for this Government is to prepare Britain for the economy of the future and to make sure our young people can seize the opportunities that innovations in science and technology will bring."

Science and Innovation Minister Lord Drayson said: "These jobs are no longer the stuff of dreams. Today's schoolchildren could become our first generation of scientists to build a flying car or help reverse climate change."

Rohit Talwar, chief executive of research company Fast Future, who conducted the study, said: "The list of future jobs highlights the vast array of exciting things today's school children could be doing in 20 years' time.

"We're crossing the boundaries between science fiction and reality, and what we're seeing in the movies are becoming genuine career opportunities."

From the report: Space Pilots, Architects and Tour Guides‘ were considered the most aspirational roles amongst respondent globally (48%) and in the UK (43%)

(Source: BNSC)

The position of the Chair of the Space Science Advisory Committee (SSAC) and ESA Science Programme Committee (SPC) Advisor will become vacant on 1st April 2010. STFC and the BNSC are seeking applications from members of the UK astronomy space programme for this appointment.

Rocketeer comments: Well, at least the successful candidate won't have much work to do, since most of the UK space science programme is being cancelled ;-p

The Boscombe Down branch of the Royal Aeronautical Society has organised a lecture by Will Whitehorn, the president of Virgin Galactic, on the 9th Feb and has kindly thrown the
event open to a wider audience.

Due to security restrictions in force at MOD Boscombe Down (where lectures are hosted) any non-branch members wishing to attend will need to register their interest through Bryan Somerset – preferably via e-mail: BCSOMERSET@qinetiq.com.

Guests are welcome to all of Boscombe Down's lectures on this basis - they do suggest that a contribution is made towards refreshment (they operate an honesty box system). Similarly, if interested, guests can join the branch on the night.

More details on the RAeS website.