With the news this week that the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Rosetta space mission will be entering a critical stage, the Daily Telegraph have today highlighted the significant impact of the UK’s world leading space industry on the mission.
Over the last ten years, the Rosetta craft has been ‘catching up’ with its intended target of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, and will now manoeuvre itself in position to orbit the comet. Once in its orbit, the ESA will scour the comet’s surface to find a suitable landing sport for its Philae lander.
In a previous blog post, I noted how integral the UK was to the experimentation and technical analysis work that will be undertaken when the Philae probe successfully lands on the comet – but the Telegraph’s article also highlights the sheer breadth of UK involvement.
From on-board software, to communication equipment, innovative lighter batteries and helium containing tanks and valves, the UK is an integral European partner in the mission, and is right at the forefront of European efforts to explore and utilise space.
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Also this week, the BBC have uploaded a great video of a former apprentice at historic UK aircraft manufacturer de Haviland, talking about his experience of working on the development and production of the world’s first commercial jet aircraft, the Comet.
LINK – ‘I built the world’s first jet airliner’
Hearing Mike Ramsden talk about his experiences as an apprentice, his love of engineering and his pride at watching the magnificent aircraft he helped build fly around the world, is a great advert for the enthusiasm of our industry & developing a career in aerospace through apprenticeships.
In addition, his humbling statements about the problems the Comet had in its early development days, also shows both how far the modern aerospace industry has come and how determined he was to contribute to the aircraft’s improvements.
