Black Arrow : The Lipstick Rocket - A Very British Space Program

[@fulanitoflyer]

Project : Black arrow. Let's paint the rocket red and white

[@ES-wp4bi]

EXACTLY LIKE WHAT THE HECK?!?!?!

[@toonbat]

ME: "And another thing. You might want to get some black on your finish somewhere. I mean, you've got the white. You've got that red part. It's like, every color except black. Doesn't make a lot of sense. BLACK ARROW: "If we could just... step out of our literal minds for just one moment!"

[@shadowwolf3557]

@xc5647321 xc5647321 i was hoping someone would mention a red rocket :P i love em

[@anthonyc4138]

@xc5647321 xc5647321 lol

[@mac_uk5464]

It was the primer, we couldn't even afford the topcoat.

[@howard81]

My Grandfather was one of the engineers who worked on Blue Streak, Black Arrow and Black Knight, he was a radio engineer and worked on the communications systems. He travelled to Woomera several times throughout the 1960’s and supervised a lot of the work on the Isle of Wight and Spadeadam sites. He was royally naffed off when the project was cancelled. He then went on as one of the chief designers of the military Clansman radio systems that were in use until recently. I still have some of his documentation and notes throughout this era, including some personal photos of Woomera.

[@stephengardiner9867]

So refreshing to watch a video with (a) an actual human being doing the narration and (b) actual research and fact-checking done. This was well done.

[@qwertyTRiG]

Stephen Gardiner Try Zepherus & Tom Scott.

[@peteredwards4154]

Could always drop in on the man in the moon and, very politely ask him if we could borrow , not lend lease a few of their imitation flying saucers , landing on white house lawn, Red Square and Peking. Can’t spell Beijing! Zap a few mobiles just to scare and get pics on tv and of course all leaders waving . with one exception, they take the NK Blimp back with them, releasing all prisoners making sure all the guards change places for a little pay back! MANS INHUMANITY TO MAN BE REDRESSED . THEN RELEASED.

[@MrHws5mp]

If anyone's interested, Francis Spufford wrote an excellent book about the failures and triumphs of British technology called The Backroom Boys, which covers Black Arrow amongst many others things. Well worth a read.

[@scottfw7169]

Will look it up.

[@Oldwolf63]

Thanks for the book info.

[@hemipemi]

"HTP poured onto shrubbery' Even when developing space technology, the British can't help being awfully British.

[@ericstromberg9608]

(explosion, scream) "Yes, it was the middle one."

[@jessewheinrichs]

NI!

[@Alex-cw3rz]

Maybe that was Rodger the Shrubber

[@jamesweir139]

The footage of the Black Arrow oscillating was spectacular!!!

[@flybobbie1449]

I came across a book in a library titled along the lines British aircraft designs from 1945 to 1960. I was quite amazed to see aircraft proposals that looked like the C5 galaxy, Hercules, Boeing stol, F111, A380, as well as those that did exist like VC10 and Trident. Makes me wonder if British designers took their ides to the US in the 60's.

[@stuartthegrant]

Such a shame we have had such short sighted goverments. British science is second to none yet all they ever receive is lack of support. Very interesting film.

[@HALEdigitalARTS]

Not short sighted. Clearly sellouts to the EU.

[@EronPlaysRocknRoll]

@@HALEdigitalARTS More the Americans than the EU. Many of our projects such as the black arrow, the tsr.2 and the sr.177 were cancelled because american companies bribed governments around the world to make sure their tech was bought instead, which often resulted in brilliant projects being cancelled.

[@HALEdigitalARTS]

@@EronPlaysRocknRoll That makes my blood boil. We don't have a capitalism problem, we have a corruption problem. I have to wonder what the world would be like without scumbags.

[@pauldv69]

'A Very British Space program' indeed. Like many of the large engineering projects before and since, we take the best of other peoples endeavors, make significant advancements in engineering and ingenuity, then have the government pull the plug. It's a shame, but makes for cracking history.

[@davelowe1977]

Paul Davis I think even this pessimistic assessment doesn't sell us short enough. We invent nearly all the necessary technology, develop it to a working product that costs a fraction of the competition, then cancel it as a bargaining chip with the US for political reasons. The same thing has happened on multiple occasions with military aircraft. It makes me sick.

[@KC9UDX]

Paul Davis isn't that the last verse of English Sunset?

[@walterrudich2175]

The old and deeply British "once first now worst" scenario...

[@Scythl]

@@ohgosh5892 Both Labour and Conservative governments are to blame for britain giving up being a technological leader in various industries. Both parties.

[@maheshm5463]

Paul Davis Read this for the unsung and forgotten Indian connection en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysorean_rockets

[@mikeyb118]

Black arrow had a very good structure to propellant ratio especially on the first stage, only 8% percent of the first stage mass was structure which was key for such a small launch vehicle to get it's payload into orbit.

[@iitzfizz]

Yeah very dainty for an orbital rocket!

[@hootenannie1958]

Thank you for this interesting information. My dad, Tom Casey, worked on the Black Arrow and was present at the launch on 28 October 1971. He had such lovely memories of that exciting, nerve wracking time in Woomera.

[@Zamolxes77]

So the brits are the real kerbals, launching satellites on a shoestring budget !

[@ilikemorestuff]

Now we need a Kerbal Cuppa mod ;0)

[@tarlach1280x960]

Not

[@shubhankardasgupta4777]

Ok that's its India who is launching in small budget

[@yamanmustafa7574]

@@shubhankardasgupta4777 their budget is from foreign aid. From Britain.

[@animationspace8550]

you mean the soviet union

[@Pique147]

Britain got shafted royally by the americans after the war. Didn't share nuclear tech (despite many British scientists working on the Manhattan Project), didn't share rocket tech (despite many British scientists working for NASA), offered rocket in return for Britain cancelling indigenous programme and then retracted offer once the programme was cancelled. "Special Relationship" indeed.

[@anonb4632]

Pique You forgot lend lease, the massive repayments and American bases on British soil doing what they want and spying on British industry.

[@mandalorian_guy]

The reason the US didn't turn over the nukes was Churchill wanted to bomb the USSR right after the end of the war and "defeat communism once and for all" (this was before that became popular in the US) while Roosevelt and later Truman just wanted to end the war and get on to normal relations. The way the US saw it the fewer countries that had nukes the better.

[@9HighFlyer9]

Also, the biggest Soviet spy in the Manhattan Project, Klaus Fuchs, was sent by the British.

[@tonydanis1480]

You guys are such welfare whiners. Every failure is because you were double-crossed - you WOULD have won if you hadn't been CHEATED! That's not how reality works. No one owes you anything. Your inability to stand on your own two feet is why your nation is now a radical Islam stronghold. Still, great video!

[@richarddale76]

Tony Danis while I agree about the last part that’s solely down to the EU.. the greasy greedy f**k are so much in debt they need imported terrorist baby machines to keep the money train (growth) rolling.. they dont want anyone to better themselves and earn more as that devolves their power to kick people to the ground. But to the first point America really is one huge British colony until it won its independence.

[@_aullik]

HTP fuel rockets make a lot of sense. Such a shame it got discontinued for stupid political reasons.

[@vibe6750]

Everything has it pros and cons.

[@lobsterbark]

They are horrifically inefficient, and incapable of carrying any real amount of payload as a result.

[@LiamE69]

@@lobsterbark Horrifically inefficient? HTP/kerosene has a specific impulse just shy of the LOX/kerosene set up of the Saturn V first stage but with better density impulse, no need for cryogenic facilities, lower combustion temperatures and better cooling characteristics. Additionally HTP was used as a monopropellant to run the turbo pumps in a simple, reliable closed cycle adding significantly to the real world efficiency without engineering complexity or additional weight. As HTP/kerosene is hypergolic ignition is reliable, consistent and requires no separate ignition system. So far from being horribly inefficient and incapable of carrying any real amount of payload it was in fact about as efficient as the system used on the rocket with the greatest lift capacity yet built.

[@5000mahmud]

@@lobsterbark A non-toxic, non-cryogenic, hypogolic storable propellant is well worth it.

[@fredferd965]

The Black Arrow program seems to have suffered the same fate as most of the British fighter aircraft projects attempted by the British aviation community after the end of WWII - the British Government cancelled them. The TSR-2, for instance, was a magnificent aircraft, and we in the United States could have used it. It would have been a major money earning system. And the United States has used British designs from time to time - the B-57 and the Harrier, just to name a few. It was a shame! Beautiful work!

[@Flumi287]

The only difference is that the rocked program had a sense at least in the long term.

[@andrewwenzel3600]

Technically speaking a large amount of the TSR-2 made it into the Jaguar and the Tornado, the Tonka uses the same terrain following radar system that was developed for the TSR-2 and both aircraft were developed with an upgrade of the TSR-2 avionics system. They should have rebuilt the TSR-2 back in the late 70s when the government did a study on whether the TSR-2 could be resurrected with a new weapons package etc to replace the Vulcan and act as a much larger compliment to both the Jaguar and Tornado. The study was positive but for many reasons the government decided to ignore it and continue to upgrade the Jaguar and Tornado without a replacement for the Vulcan which left service in 1983 after flying a few successful missions during the Falklands war of 1982. TSR-2 has to be one of the most amazing aircraft ever to fly and even now (obviously in an upgraded form) I reckon it could work as a Tonka replacement! Lets hope the government is serious on expanding the space industry and funds a new launch system to rival those of NASA and Roscosmos.

[@Puzzoozoo]

Andrew Wenzel + The Jaguar was an Anglo-French plane project.

[@Karibanu]

The Goshawk is a navalised version of the BAe Hawk, so it srill happens. BAEs has a share of the F35 ( I believe the UK is actually making a profit out of that whole disaster ) but national projects are nearly at an end these days. Given the state of the defence industry here thisis probably a good thing...

[@twistedyogert]

That sucks, all those engineers put all that hard work into a plane that never flew. Stupid Red Tape.

[@nevermind824]

Edward Heath.... sold us out again and again!

[@winstonsmith6708]

People have been sending things to space for more than half a century and it's still incredible.

[@EditsandStuff350]

UK-Australia missions to the moon and beyond! Imagine that, how awesome does that sound?

[@ruuman]

Maybe once again, one can only hope

[@omshree2448]

Australia better do it alone lad ! Britain is way too costly and inefficient for no cause .

[@eliwatson1628]

Imagine gettin to the moon, pop the kettle on and a bloke with a cork hat, denim shorts and suppin a VB comes over to your lunar module... "Ah wotcher maaaaaate! Pretty dusty up ere ay?"

[@Formula1st]

@@omshree2448 if politicians could get their arses together we might be able to do something, but that’s not happening any time soon

[@OG_Wilikers]

@@Formula1st uh, I’m an American here, I mean America might bring those guys to space with the lunar starship, but I dunno.

[@pcka12]

Yet one more ‘Edward Heath own goal’ then!

[@GARFIELD191972]

I never now that the British had a space program! This is one of the reasons I so appreciate and like your channel. I learn something new every time I checked you out so far. But that don't mean that you will always have something new to me. But so far it's been going that way. Thanks again and have a great day!

[@johnepperson8867]

Too bad GB didn't keep going with their space program, I'd rather the U.S. pay GB for trips to the Space Station than Russia. No offense meant to Russia.

[@theancientsancients1769]

It is going to space with green fuel next few years Britain 😂

[@jameswatsonatheistgamer]

We have plans to build our own space programme. The European one is shit.

[@lordjoemott1683]

James Watson Atheist Gamer technically we are European.

[@jameswatsonatheistgamer]

@@lordjoemott1683 Nope. I am English. I will never be a European. I dictate who and what I am.

[@lordjoemott1683]

James Watson Atheist Gamer know what you mean, I am English aswell.

[@abz998]

Don't mind me. Just here for the shirts.

[@NathanChisholm041]

abz998 we all are!

[@leisti]

I won't mind you if you won't mind me.

[@atomretro8597]

Thanks guys

[@ferghusmeighan5401]

The shirts are always great.

[@deanallenjones]

I had NO idea that we Brits actually launched a satellite all by ourselves! I love the idea of the alternative fuel!

[@fertysurfer]

Not bothered about the politics etc. I just wanted to know the history of the Black Arrow and this video gave me the information I was after so thanks. Clear, precise and no unnecessary sensationalism. A breath of fresh air nowadays in these crazy times.

[@ian_b]

There's always a bit more treachery to be discovered about Heath.

[@Gorbyrev]

Really enjoying your videos. My dad was out at Woomera with Eliot Bros. working on Blue Steel. So sad we surrendered our so much of our expertise.

[@michaelaj4495]

What a shame, 10 million for a rocket program is incredible when you compare it to the NASA budget at the time, it just shows how smart, hard working and efficient Britain can be in harsh times. We could've had a competitive space agency if the satellite business was commercial at the time.

[@KB4QAA]

Different goals. NASA was working to go to the moon along with dozens and dozens of other space and aviation projects. No comparison.

[@bc1969214]

agree with Pelican. This British rocket was the equivalent of the U.S. Scout which was used to launch the remaining British satellite in 1974. The British could have developed this rocket and it would have had no commercial market.

[@rutherfojr]

Michael A J yes it shows something else as well that Britain had to pay for it's participation in the second world war and it's survival yes for loans did France have to pay a substantial amount of debt off for its participation in World War II or Germany I don't think so I think they got what was known as The Marshall Plan as did Italy etc Britain got nothing accept debt and the fact it had food rationing into the mid 1950s

[@charliebailey2359]

Great info! Good history lesson for me. Thanks for making this video, so many of us do really appreciate all that it takes to make these. This is a great subject you never hear about here in the US. Long live British know how!

[@seansands424]

Our own Goverment is our down fall too cancilation happy and tight

[@seansands424]

Our own Goverment is our down fall too cancellation happy and tight

[@dieselrotor]

What's the sad takeaway from this is the cheaper launch platform exist's and was proven but no one will return to it because it doesn't cost enough and budgets would get chopped. Much less it's a cleaner platform, can't have that.

[@KB4QAA]

No one will ever use this 60 year old technology.

[@bloodlust1000]

Pelican1984 like the Soyuz? The laws of physics hasn't changed. If it worked then it would work now.

[@James-oo1yq]

Makes me mad that there is people who genuinely (perhaps) believe that all Humans have achieved in space is just a hoax...everything!! They still think the earth is flat. Anyway another fascinating video, and so well researched and put together. Thanks

[@paradisebreeze1705]

The earth is flat do your research

[@thebooboo3269]

Andrew Bills are you joking

[@paradisebreeze1705]

@@thebooboo3269 yes hahaha

[@nibbles7178]

Your videos are really informative and your delivery is extremely easy to listen to. Nice to know that there are indepenent producers like you still out there amongst a sea of upward inflection speaking unwatchables. Black Arrow was as much a tragedy as TSR2. Extremely short-sighted politicians' failure to get behind British engineering.

[@brianwyters2150]

A New Zealand company called Rocket Lab managed orbit recently. The rocket was made of composite material, and used batteries to pump fuel to the combustion chamber.

[@warp65]

I always wonder how the British Aero and space industry would have looked like if Duncan Sandy had not delivered his White paper. So much promise lost.

[@chatteyj]

Aeros are still around along with Wispa and Double deckers!

[@maxbodymass]

All gone to the Milky Way and Mars. The wheels on my wagon just keep on rolling !

[@Ibirdball]

Typical Tory sell-outs... even when Labour cancelled the P.1154 and TSR-2 they were open about why, but let me think, how many projects were cancelled under Tory governments? Let me see... many fighter programs under Duncan Sandys in favour of American ICBMs and TSR-2 (which itself was then cancelled, funny that), the Vickers VC7 by their partner in crime BOAC, the BAC 3-11 (that was to be our own widebody aircraft), the Black Arrow rocket, the Nimrod AEW (Advanced Early Warning system, replacing the Shackleton), the Nimrod MRA4 (replacement to the Nimrod MRA2)...

[@paulipock3241]

I'm always blown away by the high quality of these videos.

[@thegreatchallenge5963]

Keeping up the 100% deliveries of awesome. Love your videos

[@McRocket]

Fascinating stuff...I had no knowledge of Black Arrow. Thank you very much for creating/posting this.

[@N75911_]

This has to be my favorite channel now, I love everything you put out. As someone who was born near and grew up around the John F. Kennedy Space Center and someone who has grown up in a military family, along with a family of engineers who worked for United Space Alliance and for NASA, Aerospace and Astronomy have always captivated me since I was a child. And after growing up and reaching a crossroad in my life of uncertainty of what I want to do or be, you have most certainly helped reignite the curiosity and fascination that I had as a kid with space, and technology. At the very least, I love the history, and the facts, and the stories that no one ever hears. And I hope to see this continue for a very long time.

[@peterjennings8258]

First I knew of this story was finding the testing site at the Needles , as an isle of wight resident I did for a while, work for GKN.... the decendent of Saunders Roe..... they worked on such great things here from hovercraft to rockets to helicopters.... a fascinating history.... thanks for another good video.

[@BertieFett]

Fantastic video. It's sad to see what might have been but at least the team did get to launch their satellite before the man from the ministry said no

[@MrKrikkefy]

Great episode, as usual :) Talking about British space engineering: Would you consider making an episode about Reaction Engine's SABRE engine and the progress the've been making?

[@franklee9115]

Out of USA manipulation, Britain lost totally in aerospace arena. That is the way that USA treats its ally.

[@chatteyj]

Thankyou very much for the video it was a joy to watch. I had no idea Britain (my native country) had ventured so far into space independently, thats fascinating. It seems like we had the right idea as well, why don't they use this propulsion technology today?

[@tHeWasTeDYouTh]

8:20 mate, that is called TREASON

[@kirkp_nextguitar]

Well done! I’ve never been disappointed with a Curious Droid episode. The videos address interesting topics, are crisp and accurate.

[@MervynPartin]

Just as Arianespace uses French Guiana for their launches, there are some British territories in the Caribbean that could have been used for British Launches which would have been closer to the UK than Woomera allowing launches Eastward over the Atlantic, but as usual, the politicians cancel everything just at the point of success.

[@chatteyj]

Yeah they could use Acension or any of our other territories in the South atlantic as well.

[@maxbodymass]

The Plan was North Norfolk coast, till a civil servant pointed out there was a twenty billion to one chance that a rocket would go off course and hit a gas rig!!!

[@MrWombatty]

As rocket launch-sites (especially those for satellites), are best located as close to the equator as possible, Britain could've just as easily used Ceylon (Sri Lanka), or British Guiana (Guyana) as they were both under British control into the '60s, but they didn't have to contend with unpredictable tropical weather launching rockets from Central Australia!

[@cenariusbg]

One of your best videos that I have watched so far! I loved it!

[@FredsRandomFinds]

Ted Heath a traitor to the last...

[@ckdigitaltheqof6th210]

Your shirt is almost spotless chap! ...unbelievable after almost another century ago, we are repeating the same simulation of budget, in rocket designes, same mistakes, same concepts, repeating history and barely learning from it. Still in the verticle fossel fuel box

[@species8472cze]

This channel is beyond awesome, you guys deserve all the praise you can get!

[@bullproductions]

I visited Woomera last year. They have a Black Arrow on display there (not sure if it's a replica or not) among loads of other recovered rocket parts. Pretty awesome. Strange town though.

[@steebu447]

Technical mistakes in the presentation. Hydrazine and hydrogen are fuels not oxidizers, so you don't compare them with HTP for energy density. You would have to compare HTP to other oxidizers eg liquid oxygen or nitric acid for a more meaningful comparison. And it's "AITCH" NOT "HAITCH"!!!

[@afjieaf80eg]

Yeah that bothered me too. HTP is also pretty scary stuff, a speck of dust and the container whole container boils away and not to mention contact with anything organic.

[@peteredwards4154]

Just as long as it goes bang and lifts off even faster than the opposition with blue touch paper ?

[@EleanorPeterson]

Another great video. Factual, informative, no bias, no hysteria, no Clangers. I hope Prospero isn't feeling lonely up there, with just 200,000,000+ bits of debris for company...

[@gw2macken757]

WOW. This was great. I never knew because I am American and the schools here don't teach the contributions of other countries for most part. Thank You.

[@gregsmith8617]

Thanks for a great video, you are dong a marvelous job!

[@quackcement]

seems crazy they discontinued one of the most economically small space programs

[@timsullivan4566]

If I hadn't seen the video I would not believe a rocket launch could produce so little visible exhaust! Thank you for a very interesting piece of aerospace history.

[@kevinegan9520]

what about Canada!?

[@Anvilshock]

Check the Delta 4 or the Space Shuttle's main engines for more barely visible exhaust.

[@Will_CH1]

There is a lot of anti american sentiment here. However when i look at the long list of technically successful British projects that were cancelled I could cry. It is not just companies, but high tech Industries have been killed by political decisions. Australia also has this disease. It is a mindset in the government that is incapable of grasping the long term benefits of having high tech industries. This mindset extends to a fundamental inability by our leaders to have faith in the ability of innovators. I am guessing that the British elected government are mostly Accountants and Lawyers by profession . Contrast this against a country that is governed mosty by Engineers i.e. China. One country destroys its technology base, the other nurtures it.

[@HalNordmann]

Well, China isn't a model country, not even in the slightest.

[@ejfudd3500]

I always learn from watching this. Bravo!

[@carlosantuckwell]

7:15 in -- how's that for rotten double-dealing by the Yankee Administration: as Britain's satellite looked ready to go, the US Military Empire got their agency NASA to offer a launcher to the Brits "almost for free", so the Brits cancelled their own somewhat expensive (not too expensive, remember he said "shoestring budget") Black Arrow project, and then NASA withdrew their offer of the almost-free launcher.

[@RivertownWoodcraft]

lol

[@krashd]

Similar to what they did in 1947 by kicking us off the Manhattan Project after it's completion. Thanks to not having a million centrifuges of our own like the Americans and Russians we brainstormed and invented the breeder reactor which would eventually mean any country could make as much plutonium as their heart desired while generating electricity. So the American plan of non-proliferation backfired when they stiffed us because everyone from Brazil to South Africa started building reactors to produce plutonium. It was great when the US finally stopped fucking over allies though they did plan to overthrow the Australian government as recently as the 1980's, old habits, eh?

[@RivertownWoodcraft]

Nice one. It's funny because it's common, everyone fucks with everybody. In this case the Brits fell for it.

[@WingNuts2010]

Yup. I understand that the same thing happened with the sound barrier flights. The only way that the barrier was broken when it was, was due to British technology (all moving tail plane) being handed to the Americans. Great Ideas and innovations from the small island off the north west coast of Europe, and then 'made' American. Hotol is another one.

[@mitchamus]

The Brits handed Jet propulsion tech to the Soviets on the provision that they wouldn't use it to develop fighter Aircraft.... oO

[@aldinssmoke]

This was extremely interesting. Thank you for producing this video.

[@stephen4p]

fantastic video, once again.

[@tomryner5830]

What a resurrection of this program would do for the UK and Australia is awesome in so many ways. Scientifically/ Technologically and economically. GO FOR IT! Just think of all the proud citizens!

[@medtec6747]

You can call it the "lipstick rocket" all you want but it will always be known as the red rocket

[@GooglyEyedJoe]

8:33 - "On being told that this would be the last launch the team changed the name from Puck to..." I thought it was gonna be something else for a second.

[@envitech02]

Same here... 😂😂😂

[@ziginox]

Why do you keep referring to HTP as the fuel, when it's very clearly the oxidizer? (And kerosene is the fuel...)

[@olivialambert4124]

That got to me too. He also compares it to Hydrogen when a legitimate comparison would be to oxygen or peroxide - its already using kerosine so the hydrogen comparison is just off.

[@ziginox]

Olivia Lambert No kidding, I was hoping to find more well-researched youtube channels to tide me while waiting for Mustard, Vintage Space, and Scott Manley...

[@lifesacardgame6454]

Brilliant episode. Thanks.

[@Samuel-ge7im]

Great job Curious Droid!

[@francom6230]

Firstly, I love this style of explaining the history. Btw, today's satellites have de-orbiting rockets, People don't realise The true intertwining of the western nations. Russia is the wildcard today, but China has advanced technology towards more efficient systems. Their failed moon lander proved how difficult the space game is.. It landed, but their robot rover quit after it drove off it's ramp. I am curious how their "skylab" going. We are waiting on The Orion project to mature, while SpaceS make bigger plans. It's a fun time to be alive.

[@TBone-bz9mp]

Ahh, the two saddest words in history, 'if only'

[@Ibirdball]

+Mark Kent And the alternative would be further sliding into an anti-democratic superstate with globalists running the whole show. Sounds like heaven...

[@tonydanis1480]

That's apparently the official motto of the United Kingdom.

[@Ibirdball]

@@ohgosh5892 Economic collapse? Considering 60% of our trade is outside the EU and EU trade has been decreasing for the last decade, sure... We don't have to bank on the Commonwealth to make up trade from the EU (if the worst-case scenario means we cannot trade with the EU at all), leaving the EU will allow us to trade more freely with the Commonwealth. Of course that doesn't stop us trading with the rest of the world, with economic growth faster than the EU.

[@Ibirdball]

@@ohgosh5892 Source? Here's mine: researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7851/CBP-7851.pdf "In 2002, UK exports to the EU accounted for 55% of all exports; this had fallen to 43% in 2016. The share of all UK imports accounted for by the EU fell from a high of 58% in 2002 to a record low of 51% in 2011". Trade deals don't equal trade. For example we trade with the US, but the EU doesn't have a trade deal - yet they are our biggest non-EU trading partner. Trade won't cease between us on 29th March, the thought that would even happen is ludicrous. For a start whose interest would that be in? How would Juncker justify not selling us drugs that save lives? "Hey, Britain needs our drugs and is willing to buy them, but let's let some of their population die". Yeah, that definitely wouldn't be political suicide...

[@phantomechelon3628]

At least the UK finally looks like getting its own space program...even if it is based in Scotland. We've been building top notch satellites for decades. Hopefully soon we'll have the launch capability to go with it.

[@pakdolan]

I'm here for the shirt.

[@atomretro8597]

Me too

[@pakdolan]

*High five*

[@audacity60]

A couple of years ago, the buzz in rockets was for gel propellants. They would be more storable than liquid & more controllable than solid. I wonder if a high test peroxide gel fuel could be made? A gel would be less likely to leak & therefore safer.

[@WizardAngst]

Its "Wuh-mer-ah" not "Woomb-era"

[@craiglomax9913]

My Father worked at Woomera at the time on Blue Streak, Black Knight, Jindivik, Ikara

[@henreybradley3561]

The Commonwealth, imagine what could have been had we just united as equals. The Queens realms would excel at Space exploration lol

[@chatteyj]

Brussels nothing wrong with brussels I love to eat them with some roast beef, potatoes and gravy.

[@adumbedgyname7158]

"The Commonwealth, imagine what could have been had we just united as equals." You did, under the American Empire.

[@timmurphy5541]

I'm not sure you would really like the "equality" part.

[@timmurphy5541]

As one born in the commonwealth can I belittle that idea instead? The UK has been a totally unreliable ally first to the Commonwealth and now to the EU. Expect to have to offer up something special and have a serious prenuptial agreement if you want to get anyone to take a chance on the UK again.

[@henreybradley3561]

+Morton Fisback, The fall of the commonwealth came about when Britain and the Commonwealth voluntarily sacrificed itself liberating Europe TWICE. Went from worlds 1st Superpower, then only Hyperpower in history, straight to bankrupt and in ruins. Australia, Canada, NZ, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indian subcontinent and the rest all realised the motherland and Royal Navy couldn't defend them all or afford to rebuild with two word wars worth of dept.. So they peacefully separated and the dream of the Commonwealth Federation died.

[@e.s.6275]

I rate you one of the best youtube authors on the history of technology topic.

[@carlosantuckwell]

And good ol' British boffins came up with a much cleaner, safer, but just as powerful fuel! (Hi Test Peroxide, 80-98%). There's a great book (by a US author) on all the US nuclear accidents, and one involves some Titan missile launchers, and it goes into how their chemical fuel was almost as toxic as Plutonium (gram-for-gram).

[@jtfoog5220]

forestsoceansmusic what’s the name of that book?? I’d like to know please

[@LAG09]

Are you sure you're not talking about the Titan II specifically? Because the Titan I used liquid oxygen and kerosine and high concentration hydrogen peroxide is also pretty dangerous when it leaks. The stuff was used in torpedoes, but retired after many submarine accidents involving the total loss of crew and submarine such as the Kursk disaster.

[@louisnonyourbuissnes5191]

#uk

[@FlyingBoxHead]

I think you mean with the Titan II's first stage, she used a mixture of Hydrazine and Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) known as Aerozine 50 as the fuel and Nitrogen Tetroxide as the oxidizer, two very dangerous hypergols. It's what gives the titan it's signature orange plume and clear flame. The more you know.

[@lobsterbark]

Htp is not as powerful as alternatives, which is it's main disadvantage. It's relatively safe, cheap, and convient. It's also good enough for many applications, unlike most other fuels as easy as it is.

[@antartikker]

The rocket that launched the satellite has recently been bought back from Australia and is on display at the Farnborough Air Sciences Trust Museum. You can get real close to it and see where it it the ground with a bump ! Well wort a visit with some very well informed guides to tell you the story.

[@lukeweeks3470]

Been looking forward to this! Great video :)

[@parmindersinghnokewal4215]

1:53 - that in the background is a comet with round windows... which was a later-development after cracks formed in the square windows.

[@jwestonmoss]

Wow, I can't believe how economical that was

[@prichards5113]

During the mid 1980s I was on an Australian Army exercise at Woomera SA and was able to visit the ground control and launch site in the vicinity of lake heart as seen in the video. The launch site with it's massive concrete exhaust channel had been destroyed to the ground level by SF or other unknown demolition teams. The heavy brick double storey building some two KM from the launch site was mostly intact excepting the many points blown through the meter thick walls and been used as a assault training aid. But why were there dead sheep inside. Anyway a very ancient landscape made the whole thing surreal.

[@AngeEinstein]

You misspelled Austria

[@AndrewTubbiolo]

Let's hope that Brittan expands her operations into space and renews her maritime traditions off world. I'd love to see the Stars and Stripes fly along the Union Jack in the decades to come.

[@jamespovall801]

British engineering is the best engineering. Just a shame we never get to follow through with any of our projects.

[@ilikemorestuff]

ARM processors are prolific .. there's a hefty feather in yer cap old chap ;0)

[@tarlach1280x960]

Not

[@ashlockyer4098]

My father (now 91) was an instrument test engineer at the Highdown test site on the Isle of Wight. I clearly remember how he used to be away for a couple of days at a time when they did test firings ... sat in a concrete bunker under thousands of gallons of highly volatile fuel. Like so many brilliant engineers he ended up redundant ... and in his case wound up running a hardware store. What a waste. My grandfather was an engineer too ... made redundant from the aircraft industry due to the Princess Flying Boat cancellation. What have I ended up doing? Running an engineering company exporting to Europe, the USA and Japan ... now I see my own company about to fall into the void created by a totally ill conceived 'Brexit' that threatens to rob me of my hard won European customers.

[@CountArtha]

It always makes me sad that Britain gave up on being a great power.

[@cobraaction1365]

@@ohgosh5892 You are a clueless Jackass. As part of the EU we are no more than shires in a country of Europe. WE are nothing and WE do not exist

[@rantan1618]

Being good at stuff makes you a terrible racist so they had to stop being so impressive..all the poor people were sad and oppressed

[@mikemills69]

The Sun set long ago...

[@cobraaction1365]

@@mikemills69 We made a comeback under Thatcher and soon as she went it was all downhill again

[@Carhuclough]

Britain was and is an evil entity having murdered million of people in the 180 countries it invaded. Right now it will not allow the people of Diego Garcia to return to their homes. The British evicted them and handed over the island to the USA.

[@allancopland1768]

Good vid. Like your wacky shirt too. We could certainly do with Black Arrow now, given that we have Surrey Space technology and two Glasgow satellite companies looking for launches.

[@TheAlmightyCon]

I wish some crazy Billionaire would build the Sea Dragon. I know Elon Musk is building the BFR but I really want to see the Sea Dragon take off from the Ocean!!!

[@ranwest2213]

TheAlmightyCon I bet there is some serious Chinese money looking into the sea dragon model, maybe even launching them from near their ‘new’ islands..

[@Heathh49008]

The Sea Dragon is an interesting concept. The issues being the cost of failure. My wish is actually a resurrection of the Black Arrow's engine design. HTP Kerosene is an elegantly simple system. The Brits never had the support from their people, sadly. The next great revolution I think could be the Sabre Engine... but I think they need Lockheed or other American support to finish it before it's obsolete.

[@peterloftus6259]

TheAlmightyCon BFR looks quite close to being Sea Dragon

[@TheAlmightyCon]

Ran West haha, was it Japan and China that were having that fiasco? Sea Dragon sounds like something the Chinese would come up with(name at least) Heathh49008 Yea the kerosene reacting with that stuff looks really stable and definitely easier to use than liquid hydrogen or methane. Peter Loftus Yea, however it launches from land, I think the launching from the water would make more sense especially with it being so huge.(BFR is still cool though)

[@TheAlmightyCon]

Joe Desrali Haha yea, probably

[@MichaelAnthonyStiber]

Would love to see a video regarding the British testing of nuclear weapons, in the Woomera Prohibited Area, as well as the 24 nuclear tests Britain conducted in Nevada.

[@EricWillis77]

Americans are still dying from cancers due to fallout from the Nevada test site bombs mostly conducted by our own government. Nice of them to contaminate over half the lower 48 states.

[@RCAvhstape]

That guy at 00:31 is crazy!

[@panzerfaust5046]

IKR Who wears a shirt like that?

[@RBsRealm]

He's not crazy, he's British.

[@RCAvhstape]

Ah, I see, so he's registered that move with the Ministry of Silly Walks, then.

[@theakbars98]

No, he's hopelessly depressed and hopes a gust of wind will take him over the edge.

[@mkrump9403]

Callan Nichols You never saw how Native american build skyscrapper in New york and else where. kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4ite4h_jchlbKM

[@projjwalray-6341]

The fueling subsystem sounds really innovative and green. Would be nice to bring it back, given all its advantages.

[@klunkmedia]

And th UK government are still doing the same thing. Look at Reaction Engines and the Skylon space plane. The government gave them £60 million pounds for research and then gave £90 million pounds for cycle paths! Unbelievable! We always give away what we design.

[@gazzarrr666]

Slight correction in order here. Hydrazine is NOT an oxidiser. It is the fuel that is used usually WITH HTP as the oxidiser, e.g., in the Messerschmidt Komet.

[@FreeIreland]

Red rocket!

[@duckdictator6531]

didn't need that image thank you very much.

[@PuckDaily]

i clicked on this video just to find this comment. thank you.

[@roxannamason4400]

First only correction, Hydrazine is not an oxidizer but a fuel. N2O4 is probably what you meant and is an oxidizer and a storable one like HTP, peroxide. Thanks as always for your awesome videos. Ken

[@plxton]

I remember studying British politics in A-level and everyone complaining about the waste of money Macmillan and Wilson threw at nuclear weapons whilst both my teacher and I argued the reasons for its necessity to reclaim British power on the global stage after WWII... and yet they all still didn't seem to get it. Seems obvious to me why I went on to do politics and international relations at university.

[@andrewwenzel3600]

After all they refused to let us join the economic community for nearly 20 years

[@stevesamson]

So why is it necessary? Think we be just fine without them. Power play is just for the few while everyone else suffers

[@joecarrick5177]

please do a vid on the british sabre engine project, it’s a real promising development and really encompasses top quality british engineering. if we manage to keep it british and out of the hands of the yanks and chinese, we may have a real chance at being at the top of the space business in the future :)

[@markyoung13]

From the atom bomb to jet engines and supersonic flight designs, the UK was 'had over' by Uncle Sam with depressing regularity.

[@jeremykiahsobyk102]

If only people would stop giving power to corrupt, incompetent politicians. Or rather stop breeding immoral, unjust people. But I digress into pure fantasy.

[@tarlach1280x960]

Poor old UK.. that had for hundreds of years fucked over every country they could get their hands on...

[@colinharrison5093]

There is an old black arrow rocket on display in the rocket park at Woomera as well as the R4 in the UK.