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Britain once launched its own rockets. Today the last legacy of that will pass overhead.
She's called Prospero. And she's our only independently launched satellite.
This is why you should look up and give her a wave. /1
She's called Prospero. And she's our only independently launched satellite.
This is why you should look up and give her a wave. /1
She was launched from Australia in October 1971, on top of our own rocket launcher: Black Arrow
This was the result of some British lateral thinking after WW2. America had nicked all the German V2 rocket scientists so we nicked the engineers and soldiers who'd launched them.
This was the result of some British lateral thinking after WW2. America had nicked all the German V2 rocket scientists so we nicked the engineers and soldiers who'd launched them.
Prospero is the legacy of this brilliant piece of rocketry on the cheap. We were doing High Test Peroxide launchers while everyone else was still on solids.
Bluntly: we were doing HTP DECADES before everyone in Silicon Valley decided it was cool and super-efficient.
Bluntly: we were doing HTP DECADES before everyone in Silicon Valley decided it was cool and super-efficient.
The problem: the Treasury HATED the British Space Programme. Thought it was a waste of money.
They lobbied to kill it. The programme was cancelled LITERALLY as Black Arrow was en route to its launch site in Australia.
But the scientists/engineers thought: Fuck it. YOLO
They lobbied to kill it. The programme was cancelled LITERALLY as Black Arrow was en route to its launch site in Australia.
But the scientists/engineers thought: Fuck it. YOLO
They persuaded the Treasury it was cheaper to launch that last rocket and Prospero, their first little broadcast satellite rather than bring them home.
They had no back up if it went wrong. No money to try again if there were issues.
One Black Arrow.
One satellite.
One shot
They had no back up if it went wrong. No money to try again if there were issues.
One Black Arrow.
One satellite.
One shot
At 3:50am GMT on the 28th October 1971, Black Arrow leapt into the air from Woomera, Australia, and into space.
The first stage fired.
The second stage fired.
The untested third stage fired...
...and then smacked right into Prospero as she emerged from the nose.
The first stage fired.
The second stage fired.
The untested third stage fired...
...and then smacked right into Prospero as she emerged from the nose.
On the ground, everyone waited.
Silence.
Had they failed right at the end?
Prospero should be broadcasting.
Why isn't she broadcasting?!
Please don't let her be broken...
Silence.
Had they failed right at the end?
Prospero should be broadcasting.
Why isn't she broadcasting?!
Please don't let her be broken...
And then, suddenly...
...Prospero sang. https://soundcloud.com/lapsed-historian/prospero-satellite-broadcast
...Prospero sang. https://soundcloud.com/lapsed-historian/prospero-satellite-broadcast
And back on earth, a room full of mild-mannered British scientists and engineers, and their Australian colleagues, went APESHIT.
Then, their job done and the money all spent, they all quietly went home, and on to new jobs.
Because life isn't a movie, and no one suddenly turned up and said:
"Oh wow! Well done. We were wrong!"
Britain achieved independent space flight and abandoned it on the same day.
Because life isn't a movie, and no one suddenly turned up and said:
"Oh wow! Well done. We were wrong!"
Britain achieved independent space flight and abandoned it on the same day.
So today all we have is Prospero, still up there, trying to tell us she's there.
The trouble is, we can't answer her anymore. The staff at RAF Lasham used to do so, unofficially, on her 'birthday' every year.
But Lasham closed down over twenty years ago.
The trouble is, we can't answer her anymore. The staff at RAF Lasham used to do so, unofficially, on her 'birthday' every year.
But Lasham closed down over twenty years ago.
On her 40th birthday, University College London tried to contact her. Just to let her know we've not forgotten.
But it turned out her codes were lost when RAF Lasham closed, and their efforts to reconstruct them failed.
But it turned out her codes were lost when RAF Lasham closed, and their efforts to reconstruct them failed.
So all we can do now is give her a wave tonight from down here.
Please do. She's the last survivor of a wonderful period of British ingenuity and engineering history, and she's up there all on her own.
She deserves to be remembered.
Track her here: https://www.n2yo.com/?s=5580
Please do. She's the last survivor of a wonderful period of British ingenuity and engineering history, and she's up there all on her own.
She deserves to be remembered.
Track her here: https://www.n2yo.com/?s=5580
You can read more about the British Space Programme and the launch in my #longreads on @Medium here. https://medium.com/lapsed-historian/an-empire-of-stars-d6b24f92cbc7
And don't forget, if you like my stuff here or elsewhere, then buying me a coffee is always appreciated https://ko-fi.com/garius
And don't forget, if you like my stuff here or elsewhere, then buying me a coffee is always appreciated https://ko-fi.com/garius
ADDENDUM (As this is circulating again)
Today is Prospero's 49th Birthday, and she passes over the UK at about 5pm TONIGHT.
Maybe stick your head outside tonight, if you get a second, and give her a wave?
I think it's the least we can do for her. She must be lonely up there.
Today is Prospero's 49th Birthday, and she passes over the UK at about 5pm TONIGHT.
Maybe stick your head outside tonight, if you get a second, and give her a wave?
I think it's the least we can do for her. She must be lonely up there.
