Mr Willetts said he hoped it could provide a European hub for Sir Richard Branson's (pictured) Virgin Galactic space tourism programme. Mr Willetts said he hoped it could provide a European hub for Sir Richard Branson's (pictured) Virgin Galactic space tourism programme.
London - Britain’s space industry unveiled plans for its own launch base on Thursday with the aim of putting tourists and satellites into orbit within five years.
Possible locations are already being considered in the West Country, Wales and Scotland, with the plan for one mission blasting off every month.
The space port, which would cost hundreds of millions of pounds, received the enthusiastic backing of Science Minister David Willetts.
It would be privately funded but the government would be required to change existing regulations governing flights because of the dangers of space travel.
Mr Willetts said he hoped it could provide a European hub for Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic space tourism programme, which intends to take passengers into space for around £200 000 a time.
Andy Green, chairman of the UK Space Leadership Council, which promotes the industry, said a port should be near a coastal area.
“For a space portal you need to be beside a long body of open water where you can’t annoy anybody,” he said at the launch of the UK Space Growth Action Plan, a joint government and industry initiative.
“You don’t want to be launching over land. It’s much safer and better for people to running out to the sea.”
Mr Green added that the base was “not just for people going for jaunts into space”.
“It would enable us to put up a range of satellites which would make it easier for us to expand broadband coverage, for example,” he said.
Tycoon Sir Richard says his Virgin Galactic division has already sold 700 tickets for flights and the venture is expected to launch next year from its purpose-built base in New Mexico. - Daily Mail