Shetland: UK set for first vertical rocket launch after spaceport granted licence

[@unionjackjackson4352]

Good to see, about time the uk improved its space program. Lots of valuable resources out there.

[@harrythompson6977]

finally some space action on our shores

[@jjdoom4420]

I'm still looking for some "Earth" action 😂😂😂🌎😂

[@obvious-troll]

Imagine if the UK government didn't scrap the Black Arrow

[@danny1ft1]

​@@obvious-trollimagine if we didn't have a nation of idiots voting Tory.

[@bobpert4030]

"Unst, we have a problem...." 🤣🤣

[@PaulMathews-p4o]

Vertical rocket launchers , better than horizontal I guess, oh my god the Progress.

[@Orbital_Inclination]

Horizontal launch refers to aircraft-launched systems like Virgin Orbit

[@PaulMathews-p4o]

And that is SOOOO SUCCSESSFULL :/@@Orbital_Inclination

[@HoneyChonker]

Fun fact though rockets don't actually go straight vertical for more than a few seconds. To get a rocket to orbit it's all about going sideways really fast

[@AT-ytinvasive]

A green, zero emissions rocket? While people are priced out of using their cars for the sake of the environment.

[@brianlopez8855]

the Elites still need their spy satellites.

[@jacobb2136]

dont rlly think a car can run on Hydrolox (Hydrogen and oxygen) fuel which creates water vapour and a minuscule amount of CO2

[@AT-ytinvasive]

@jacobb2136 Really? 10kg of co2 are created to make 1kg of hydrogen! plus the tonnes of co2 created in the making of the rocket itself and what of its transport and the co2 involved in the infrastructure on site, plus the 'miniscule' amount when the rocket is used. So again, how green is it?

[@nonstopgok5396]

Plus of course, water vapour has twice the warming effect of co2! It's almost as though it's all bs and they know it or the world is run by idiots

[@earthcitizen7245]

100% banana skin refuelable

[@daveh322]

I always wonder why they don't launch space rockets horizontally.🤔

[@facitenonvictimarum]

Because they want to get away from the surface of the Earth, not stay close to it.

[@alinaqirizvi1441]

I think they are referring to firing it from a plane like a missile

[@facitenonvictimarum]

According to Wiki: Aviation Week and Space Technology, *air-launch-to-orbit* (ALTO) is limited by AIRCRAFT SIZE. Additionally, airplanes may generate large lateral forces which could damage payloads. Also... SpaceX CEO Elon Musk argued in a Q&A session at the Royal Aeronautical Society that the increase in performance is not worth the additional complexity and limitations:

[@mr.afrikaans1747]

Screw vertical & horizontal. Everyone knows it's much more effective for rockets to be launched into the ground, through the earth and out the other side. It's just common sense really.

[@daveh322]

@@mr.afrikaans1747 😂😂👍

[@obvious-troll]

Imagine if the UK government didn't scrap the Black Arrow project

[@apocalypticweasel9078]

bloody americans weren't it offering us free payload deliveries then when the project was scraped they started charging us for them.

[@fredrikpalmaeus1736]

As far as I know, Esrange in Kiruna Sweden got their license earlier. Not sure when they plan to have their first orbital launch though.

[@mr.afrikaans1747]

I always knew Shetland was extremely close tho the equator and therefore perfect for launches.

[@karthikj8969]

Apparently rockets don’t have to pass through populated area - the only merit .

[@hattonaxeman]

For polar orbital launches, very northern or southern launches are preferred.

[@blackfyre7096]

Sh*tland 😂

[@rockghost1704]

Rockets or Missiles?

[@philipjee4389]

This is fantastic 😊I’m so happy !! Time to put uk 🇬🇧 back on the map 🗺️

[@PaulMathews-p4o]

Not really the UK is broke, probably sell all the tech to the Russians again :/

[@chrisbellamy2927]

map of what

[@philipjee4389]

@jameslil6546 I do agree it’s good to see but we definitely need to work on getting are living choices back to a better way of living that ℹ definitely agree with

[@juniorstrange]

Uk is becoming English stan 😂😂😂😂😊

[@radicalcartoons2766]

Can't help thinking of the Peter Sellars film "Heavens Above" and his Bishop for Outer Space! The rocket in that film was also launched from a Scottish Island!

[@brianlopez8855]

Not exactly green is it ? Is it launched and powered by solar panels or something ?

[@ChiSa123]

LMAO WTF?! 😂 Don't think rocket science has reached that level yet! 🤣

[@Orbital_Inclination]

There is no 'green' alternative, but that doesn't mean it doesn't provide a benefit. The UK produces nearly half the world's small satellites, so being able to launch them from the UK rather than shipping them across the globe is far better for the part of any space launch we can actually lower the emissions of. To paraphrase Voltaire, don't let perfect be the enemy of good.

[@Sedum54]

Up to the firm@ment like the Go Fast rocket. Put some cameras on it so we can see!

[@Orbital_Inclination]

Why bother with cameras? Firmament believers still wouldn't accept the evidence presented to them

[@oakguard]

Can we get an updated 1949 spacesuit cape included

[@susancresswel3559]

It's only a small island. With the emissions of the toxic fuel how will this effect the environment. Besides the noise. Of the rockets taking off. ..it will definitely effect all wild life there.

[@obvious-troll]

calm down, its not a Saturn 5 ffs

[@chrisbellamy2927]

@@obvious-troll not yet

[@michaellilley6725]

They should name the rocket Sploosh maker 1, what goes up must come down 🚀🛳️💦🌊

[@alinaqirizvi1441]

Could land it on a boat like SpaceX

[@Secret_Squirrel_Scottishgamer]

@@alinaqirizvi1441 like a giant version of pong.

[@alinaqirizvi1441]

@@Secret_Squirrel_Scottishgamer if the pong balls had rocket engines

[@michaellilley6725]

@@alinaqirizvi1441 It could also sink a boat like an airborne torpedo 😨

[@alinaqirizvi1441]

@@michaellilley6725 yeah but it was far out at sea where it one would have to be extremely unfortunate to both have the rocket fail AND hit a boat out of the whole of the wide wide sea

[@pessimisticbengali265]

an area that covered in cloud and heavy rain almost 8 months of a year got licence for rocket launches ?

[@laurencecope7083]

The problem is the launch site is too far north.

[@mr.afrikaans1747]

Wrong. It's too close to the equator.

[@Sedum54]

North is the centre of the Gleasons map.

[@williamstephens9945]

It doesn't matter for polar and sun-synchronous orbits.

[@marcusp905]

Cool !!about time

[@pjmoseley243]

whats wrong with building a tall staircase on the bit of earth closest to space and just walking into space surley its the most eco friendly way to get into space.

[@thomashosking385]

I think two ladders in a stable 'A' configuration would be more successful, with the advantage of not requiring a bannister rail.

[@gaelicreaction1049]

Why don't they use Ascension Island instead? It's closer to the equator.

[@Kakarot64.]

The UK is one of the largest manufacturers of satellites currently these get shipped of around the world to foreign launch sites the point of having a launch site on UK soil is to reduce the reliance of shipping the satellites halfway around the world to launch them

[@David-mw3sb]

Really pisses me off. I had hoped we'd get the horizontal rocket launches.

[@monakayali]

😂😂

[@Orbital_Inclination]

Horizontal launch was what Virgin Orbit was trying from Cornwall, but it didn't last.

[@damianvisser977]

The headline is sheer brilliance

[@mr.afrikaans1747]

They should've done it on St. Kilda. 1) No one lives there 2) It's much, much further away from the mainland UK so that noise pollution (and material pollution?) would be far less of a problem 3) Perhaps there would be people amenable to repopulating it if it were to take place there

[@tomsmith48]

I can't imagine there's much in it distance wise considering it's Unst which is the very northern end of the islands. Plus Shetland being further north is probably better for polar orbits. Isn't St. Kilda quite heavily protected as well in terms of the heritage site on the island?

[@briansmith1027]

I believe there are more birds and other wildlife around St Kilda which would put the brakes on anything happening there

[@ThePlantoparadise]

How very UK of them to have to have a license before they can launch a rocket XD

[@MrBlaxjax]

Pretty sure most jurisdictions require a licence of some kind for permission to build airfields and that kind of thing. For spacecraft launching etc that’s going to be heavily controlled almost anywhere.

[@sureshm2189]

And it explodes

[@MRU112]

Dont they delay launches all the time due to bad weather...?

[@Orbital_Inclination]

No different to Kennedy/Cape Canaveral then

[@Dante-uw5me]

Wtf name a rocket company in EMEA willing to launch in the UK??? All companies are launching in Asia or the US

[@acebaby3265]

Sweet this is a great movement but tbh we should be in space already

[@itsclint146]

We cannot leave our enclosed system fact this is all bs

[@Orbital_Inclination]

And yet we have, and rely on technology that is in space every day of our lives.

[@applepie8772]

More pollution. Have they got Geiger counters?

[@obvious-troll]

Man graduated physics from TikTok university

[@theancientsancients1769]

Last 6 years it was it will launch this year 😂

[@atlasnetwork7855]

It's fine we launched a british rocket and satillite in 1971, so it's not like we are in a race anymore.

[@jameswatson5807]

@@atlasnetwork7855 it is a race now new era, even to the moon it is a new race.

[@romanliru200]

Good Luck to Britain

[@cyphicle]

Another competitor to Andøya Space Port in Norway besides Esrange in Kiruna. Europe of above the 60° N becomes frantic over the space industry.

[@Sioakela]

They've stated that both the failed attempt in Cornwall AND in the Shetlands were due to "an anomaly".

[@earthcitizen7245]

no one in scotland will get any sleep now

[@normanbell-br7nf]

probably turn to booze or drugs

[@earthcitizen7245]

those are prescription medicines in scotland@@normanbell-br7nf

[@Orbital_Inclination]

From 30 launches a year, from a site far away from the majority of the popualtion? I think they'll manage.

[@briansmith1027]

Hey us Scots don’t like our sleep getting disturbed, the guy makes a valid point

[@sherishaw-wn7nr]

WOW!!!!

[@karthikj8969]

May just need bit more fuel compared to equatorial launches - nonetheless great news . 👏

[@wisepranker]

I thought they were aiming for polar orbits?

[@Orbital_Inclination]

This site will launch to orbital inclinations of around 60 to 120 degrees. That arc accounts for well over 1/3rd of all current active satellites, so a large market. The equator thing only affects low inclination orbits, which aren't what this site will be used for anyway.

[@vinceb4380]

Rishi for the Moon.😵‍💫

[@steveross8364]

Well, it's not Starbase but it's a start. Not sure how the almost constant crappy weather's going to be overcome...

[@Orbital_Inclination]

For comparison, Florida experiences thunderstorms and rain on a scale we rarely see in the UK, every year between May and Oct, and yet Kennedy and Cape Canaveral operate perfectly well year round.

[@loumorningstar7709]

That looks super small for a spaceport. Plus dont space ports kinda have to be in space otherwise it would just be a launch pad no? Clue being in the name and all.

[@Orbital_Inclination]

Airports don't hover in mid-air, in the same way space ports don't need to be in space 😂

[@loumorningstar7709]

@@Orbital_Inclination yeah, that makes logical sense. 👍

[@devdev6311]

Front and Centre of The Global Space Industry??? Does this prove the existance of a parallel universe?

[@thefowlyetti2]

Weather good for launching, 5 days a year

[@FaisalKhan-nx2jr]

❤❤

[@grim-upnorth]

Perfect weather up there for rocket launches 🤦‍♂

[@Orbital_Inclination]

Florida experiences far worse thunderstorm conditions than the UK does for large parts of the year, and yet manages okay as a launch location.

[@Battleneter]

Rocket labs vibes

[@harrymacdonald858]

So Spaces is a Cartoon, Somerled.

[@woodpeckerdrums6254]

Fantastic

[@leahtemplar3296]

Far away, where no one can see it... yeah right

[@HunterDFtwo]

Don’t expect any type of turn around like SpaceX, this is the UK after all !, we struggle with pot holes 😂

[@chrisbellamy2927]

is no where safe from polution. thats just whats needed up there is a rocket station !

[@Orbital_Inclination]

The satellites need a launch site either way. They may as well launch from the UK, as nearly half are produced here anyway

[@maxmoore9955]

Why is called Vertical which bloody way would it go .Down .!

[@williamstephens9945]

Horizontal launches are rockets launched from planes.

[@hollyyoung2850]

That’s some turn around. Eco tourism to carbon heavy pollution? Ok Frank.

[@aidenjohns8248]

when we sort out our own planet maybe then spend money on space exploration...

[@Orbital_Inclination]

Modern society is reliant on satellites. Without them, our lives would be a lot worse

[@Kakarot64.]

getting space developed so we can transfer activities like mining and heavy manufacturing of planet is a crucial part of sorting out the planet.

[@aidenjohns8248]

@@Kakarot64. sorry i think your wrong! if we go into space with the same attitude we have on this planet, space will become a junkyard before we even get there!.. all ready space junk!..

[@shivaanshsharma9175]

Half of UK lives on the streets, drugs and knife crime are rampant but wants to be a space power 😅😅

[@JohnDoe-qg6hm]

What fuel do they intend on using ? Chemical carcinogenic compounds can be an issue with the likes of Hydrozine

[@NEALMOHANSADSANXIETY]

Will be noisy for folk music villages and community 😢

[@andy530i]

Another big hole to pour tax payers money into.

[@bigbadwolf992]

Powered by Tennant's super😅

[@briansmith1027]

Nah Buckfast, the clue is in the name

[@techtinkerin]

What an absolute load o ...

[@winniepoyser7164]

🙏❤⚘🙏❤⚘🙏❤⚘🙏❤⚘🙏❤⚘🙏❤⚘🙏❤⚘🙏❤⚘

[@juliemcleod1119]

If we can hold on to it, before Foreign investments take over, and we get, yet again ousted from our own projects. Plus why go mess up other planets, fix this one.

[@Secret_Squirrel_Scottishgamer]

great now spacex and shetland can play ping pong.

[@donaldmatheson4440]

Leave the sky well alone

[@adf311]

More colossal waste of tax payers money

[@sdfilmproductions4193]

It's all private money.

[@richardschofield2201]

​@@sdfilmproductions4193I think there has been some tax payer support but it's peanuts in the grand scheme of things

[@adf311]

@@sdfilmproductions4193 very unlikely

[@jswmonkey197]

More often than not large scale industrial infrastructure investment comes with some sort of government incentive. Some win, some lose, time will tell with this one. We need at least something to try and get a foot hold in the ever growing launch market. If it works I expect there will be a lot of spin off investment and work generated throughout the UK in the future.

[@obvious-troll]

space is never a waste of money

[@cityzens634]

Failed

[@chrisyates1574]

wot about the cars

[@nigeladams8508]

😂firework more like😂😂

[@streamdream8310]

Waste of money these space cadets are an anomaly, where we going button moon

[@earthcitizen7245]

supposedly mars, plus satellites are constantly being replaced due to space debris damaging them, aging, and space being naturally very inhospitable and destroying/disabling them. not to mention the resources for space missions to monitor and learn of other planets and keep the international space station afloat and possible future endeavors involving safe guarding earth from threat that would naturally cause a lot of devastation or the potential collapse of human life. if we live long enough on our planet we can hope to become a tier 2 civilization where we inhabit our complete solar system then a tier 3 where we've mastered control of our solar system to expand outwards, that would be crazy times.

[@Paws4Thought669]

Have they moved the 🐑 yet ?

[@earthcitizen7245]

they'll go into space as well

[@Secret_Squirrel_Scottishgamer]

prolly not they need them for break time funsies.

[@sundaydrivinguk]

What a joke, tirado waste of time and money

[@explorer47422]

We make use of satellites every single day for virtually everything including Internet, I think the UK having the ability to launch our own would payoff dividends

[@earthcitizen7245]

look at the up side

[@earthcitizen7245]

sat nav too and potential for stopping a disaster and world ending event@@explorer47422

[@tda7294]

​@@explorer47422 I hope that u r not one of those people who cry when other countries successfully launch rockets to space.

[@explorer47422]

@@tda7294 wut?

[@PeterPete]

what a waste of money!!!

[@obvious-troll]

space is never a waste of money

[@PeterPete]

yes it is, it's all a waste of money, tell me one benefit space has given to better the human condition? @@obvious-troll

[@Orbital_Inclination]

​@@PeterPeteEver used GPS? The global economy relies on it, as does your bank account, shops, modern agriculture, etc etc

[@stgeorgeist]

Rember not long ago Space X wanted to use a place scotland for a Launch point They also were going to build a battey factory near lincon? Due to Brexit and the comp[lication of inpoert export to and from europe?? all was scrapped to europe Scotland is a prine place for north souyth pole to pole orbits

[@SuzyDior01]

Yes I knew that

[@AMOUREDD]

Y don't u ask the Russians for help

[@carracampbell7789]

Will it reach russia

[@carracampbell7789]

This is 1 of many

[@OwbuR.N]

Dronns rush to Mars haven.. wonder why?

[@Heegooat]

Looks like shietland

[@blackheart5258]

Oh dear God, the big giveaway is the blue touch paper at at its base and the unfeasibly large box of red top matches. Lol and it's a spaceport?

[@raygem1943]

SNP FM Usless want’s to be the first member of the Scottish Joke Factory to be sent into space…..The Scottish Electorate wants to know how they can contribute for a one way flight 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿😂😂

[@weefreedavielittle]

😂 space bullshit

[@rmitch402]

Fake moon landings yippee 🎉

[@peterpanbigdick.]

About bloody time britton. Welldone lady's and gentlemen.

[@obvious-troll]

The UK government in its infinite wisdom decided to scrap Black Arrow after it successfully got to orbit in 1969

[@Worldsfucked]

Its scotland not the uk ffsand its stupid for or Scotland to getvibvolved in the space lies

[@kawaii58204]

Scotland is part of UK

[@Orbital_Inclination]

I knew there'd be uninformed comments below this video, but I didn't expect to see someone failing at basic geography 😂