The British space programme is the UK government's work to develop British space capabilities. The objective of the current civil programme is to "win sustainable economic growth, secure new scientific knowledge and provide benefits to all citizens."
The British space programme has always focused on unmanned space research and commercial initiatives. It has never been government policy to create a British astronaut corps or to place a Briton on the Moon. The British government also does not provide funding for the International Space Station. More recently, however, there have been indications that the British government may change its position on manned space exploration. It has also begun backing an SSTO spaceplane concept called Skylon.
The first official British space programme began in 1959 with the Ariel series of British satellites, built in the USA and the UK and launched using American rockets. The first British satellite, Ariel 1, was launched in 1962.
During the 1960s and 1970s, a number of efforts were made to develop a British satellite launch capability. A British rocket named Black Arrow did succeed in placing a single British satellite, Prospero, into orbit from a launch site in Australia. Prospero remains the only British satellite to be put into orbit using a British vehicle.
The British National Space Centre was established in 1985 to co-ordinate British government agencies and other interested bodies in the promotion of British participation in the international market for satellite launches, satellite construction and other space endeavours.
In 2011, many of the various separate sources of space-related funding were combined and allocated to the Centre's replacement, the UK Space Agency.
Read more about British Space Programme: Origin of The Space Programme, British Space Vehicles 1950-1985, National Space Programme 1985-2010, United Kingdom Space Agency 2010 - Present, Commercial and Private Space Activities, British Contribution To Other Space Programmes, British Astronauts, British Space Programme in Fiction
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