The United States will stop funding of the International Space Station in 2025 as announced by President Donald Trump. Jim Bridenstine, the new administrator of NASA, said that the president does not want to stay in low-Earth orbit at the expense of the taxpayer for a long time. Therefore, the new administrator wants to go in for a tie-up with the UK and utilize the spaceports they want to set up to launch satellites to the moon.
Daily Mail UK reports that Jim Bridenstine was appointed as the administrator of NASA by Trump, but he has a political background.
Jim is a Republican and he feels spaceports in Britain could throw up new opportunities because Britain and America have been associated with space exploration as partners. The objective of NASA is to zero in on “who can provide the best price.”
Moon mission, NASA and spaceports
Jim Bridenstine wants to give a shape to the vision of Trump and would like NASA to launch its satellites from British soil using its spaceports. The president wants NASA to concentrate on missions to the moon and explore the solar system. Activities should continue from where they were stopped half a century back. Technology has improved over the years and the agency now has more sophisticated equipment at its disposal and can succeed.
Jim went on to add that in the past it was all about competition between the superpowers. The United States won the race when Americans landed on the moon and left their “footprints and flags.” However, the mission now is to not just to go there, but stay there. On the anvil are plans to have a space station that will orbit the moon while the operation of the ISS will be handed over to private companies.
The Mars mission will be taken up later.
The UK is to set up spaceports
Britain decided to have its first spaceport in Scotland and the US aerospace firm, Lockheed Martin, is associated with the venture. According to Independent UK, the setup will be on the A’Mhoine peninsula in Sutherland. The tentative plan is to make provision for the vertical launch of rockets and satellites which will, in turn, lead to space flights.
Funds have been allotted by the government and the facility is expected to be ready by 2020.
The work has been entrusted to Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and its chief executive Charlotte Wright has welcomed the decision. In his opinion, the international space sector is growing and it will provide many opportunities. NASA wants a base in Britain to reach the moon and the spaceport in Scotland could fit the bill.
