Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Forget the package holiday. A spaceport for commercial flights is being built in the UK

Eight locations have been selected that would be suitable for the new spaceport.

spaceport Artist's impression of the new UK spaceport to be built by 2018. UK Government UK Government

DO YOU NORMALLY holiday in France or Spain? You might want to set your sights a bit higher, a lot higher actually, as the UK Government has announced eight possible locations where they plan to build the country’s first spaceport.

The spaceport, which will cater for commercial flights into space, is to open in 2018.

The eight possible locations are easily accessible from Ireland. Here are the possible locations:

  • Campbeltown Airport (Scotland)
  • Glasgow Prestwick Airport (Scotland)
  • Llanbedr Airport (Wales)
  • Newquay Cornwall Airport (England)
  • Kinloss Barracks (Scotland)
  • RAF Leuchars (Scotland)
  • RAF Lossiemouth (Scotland)
  • Stornorway Airport (Scotland)

Big business

Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency Dr David Parker unveiled the locations, saying that the new spaceport could bring great economic opportunities to the UK.

What are they looking for in a new spaceport?

A suitable location must have an existing runway which is capable of being extended to over 3000 metres in length; the ability to accommodate dedicated segregated airspace to manage space flights safely; and be a reasonable distance from densely populated areas in order to minimise impact on the uninvolved general public.

So, what can we expect from the commercial space travel? Will we need one of these?

mulitpass Tumbler Tumbler

Will we be subject to all the normal checks before travelling?

airport Tumbler Tumbler

Who knows, but these are the sorts of aircrafts we will be flying on:

capture3 Skylon / UK Government Skylon / UK Government / UK Government

Read: The most spectacular piece of rubbish you’re likely to see>

Read: SpaceX are building a solar powered ship to sail up into orbit>

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
32 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Shane Walsh
    Favourite Shane Walsh
    Report
    Apr 9th 2019, 12:52 PM

    Very sad news and sadly happening too often.

    114
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Padraic Mulry
    Favourite Padraic Mulry
    Report
    Apr 9th 2019, 1:09 PM

    @Shane Walsh: what happened

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Shane Walsh
    Favourite Shane Walsh
    Report
    Apr 9th 2019, 1:29 PM

    @Padraic Mulry: Fatality on the line. (See Irish Rail Twitter)

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Chessie Cat
    Favourite Chessie Cat
    Report
    Apr 9th 2019, 12:38 PM

    Close the comments ffs!

    103
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Roy Dowling
    Favourite Roy Dowling
    Report
    Apr 9th 2019, 1:01 PM

    @Chessie Cat: Why?

    64
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave Harris
    Favourite Dave Harris
    Report
    Apr 9th 2019, 1:04 PM

    @Chessie Cat: always the houlier than thou person in the with close the comments comment. Grow up.

    173
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David
    Favourite David
    Report
    Apr 9th 2019, 1:25 PM

    @Dave Harris: People not person..

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Chessie Cat
    Favourite Chessie Cat
    Report
    Apr 9th 2019, 1:38 PM

    @Dave Harris:

    If you were there when it happened you wouldn’t be so smug!

    29
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Richard o Rourke
    Favourite Richard o Rourke
    Report
    Apr 9th 2019, 1:14 PM

    Update: Services between Bray and Greystones suspended UFN due to a tragic incident on the line. Bus services are accepting tickets. Bus transfers for Rosslare services. DARTs operating between Bray and Howth/Malahide, significant knock on delays can be expected https://t.co/vtXSi8G1Lu

    36
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute A Pop Fan's Dream
    Favourite A Pop Fan's Dream
    Report
    Apr 9th 2019, 6:48 PM

    Why the cover-up?
    Sounds like a suicide to me.
    Intelligence-insulting euphemisms like “tragic incident” really don’t help.

    28
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jessie
    Favourite Jessie
    Report
    Mar 17th 2020, 3:31 AM

    @A Pop Fan’s Dream: Maybe the author phrased it in that such way out of respect for the family. It is no ones business but the families about what happened to their loved one. The main point that was being said in this article is that the rail services has been suspended, not to spread the gory details on what happened. Be careful about what you comment on these posts. You don’t know who is reading it, including the persons family (which is me).

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds