why is the uk lagging behind in the space race?

Answer 1

The UK doesn't have the funds for it, or the land to build a space port. If they were to begin a shuttle program, they'd need a place to launch it and a place to land it. (Not necessarily in the same place like at Kennedy Space Center - but close to the launch site.)

Regardless, NASA is more than happy to cater to the needs of the European Space Agency. (They've launched many things before on the space shuttle. They probably continue to do so until the end of the shuttle program.)

Answer 2

I'm not sure the UK is "lagging behind", though we don't put as much money into organisations like ESA as some people would like. We tend to be better at things like instrumentation, which aren't as high profile as launch vehicles and landers. Beagle II was a good example - great experiments and intrumentation, but it should have been mounted on a US lander!

There's a lot of pure research done in UK universities which is applied in projects headed by other countries. Sadly, I expect that's in decline, given that physics education is going down the toilet.

Answer 3

The Space Race was an off-shoot of the Cold War,a contest between the two superpowers United States and the former Soviet Union.With the break-up of the USSR,I think that race ended.UK was never in that contest.

Answer 4

What race? There is no race any longer to speak of apart from exploring Mars maybe. In effect the UK are involved in space but not in a trailblazing way. Let those that can afford it do the work.

Answer 5

Was the UK ever really in the space race??
Space cadet race maybe, but none other to speak of.

Answer 6

The space race has already been won, two astronaughts on the moon, 69 moon landing etc. Or you could be opening a discussion on the possible space holiday.

Answer 7

US population rather greater than 300 million. US resources very great. UK population about a fifth of that, UK resources confined to an island 1000 miles long and a few hundred miles wide, rather less in places. Never any on-shore oil to speak of, limited iron, copper, lead, zinc, you name it, many such mines worked out 100 years ago. Plenty of coal though. A net importer of food. That's about it in a nutshell.

Answer 8

It is sad that the UK abandoned their space program. The Black Arrow and Black Knight programs were very successful. They even conducted a successful satellite launch. Had they kept at it, I believe they would have had a very successful manned spaceflight program as well. The short-sighted politicians scuttled it for budgetary reasons.

Answer 9

You are all wrong the reason why we are behind the space race is because thire is no rush. we can aford it And we do have enough land to make a space shuttle.

Answer 10

there is often yet another one down the line if i understand i won't be able to make it or if I definitely have a struggling with risk then i will probable limp forward till I pass out and say if basically i can survive my feet will I definitely have the means to go forward and not seem returned.