First British Satellite Launched By British Rocket

It has never been government policy to create a british astronaut corps.

The prospero satellite also known as the x 3 was launched by the united kingdom in 1971. Six satellites were launched as part of the programme starting with the first british satellite ariel 1 which was launched on april 26 1962 and concluding with the launch of ariel 6 on june 2 1979. Ariel was a british satellite research programme conducted between the early 1960s and 1980s. The british government did not provide funding for the international space station until 2011.

Prospero was the first british satellite to have been launched successfully by a british rocket the first british satellite placed in orbit was ariel 1 launched in april 1962 on a u s. The british space programme has always emphasized uncrewed space research and commercial initiatives. Developed and tested on the isle of wight the black arrow programme completed four rockets between 1969 and 1971. My dad s tales from his youth came to mind recently with the news that a privately owned scottish space launch company is bringing back to the uk the remains of the rocket that made the first.

It was designed to undertake a series of experiments to study the effects of space environment on communications satellites and remained operational until 1973 after which it was contacted annually for over 25 years. The first british satellite ariel 1 was launched in 1962. Which was the first british satellite to have been launched successfully by a british rocket.