Britain to create space agency
Sure, they’re a part of the European Space Agency (ESA). And, yes, they spend £270 million on space-related programs each year. But the British have traditionally largey neglected space flight, especially manned flight. That’s about to change.
Few Brits in space: Richard Garriott on ISS
Britain is getting a space agency.
Think about this: the first British citizen to fly in space was Helen Sharman, who flew aboard a Soviet Soyuz in 1991. She was selected from 13,000 candidates, after responding to a radio advertisement announcing the competition. Since then, several British astronauts have flown aboard the American space shuttle; one British space tourists—Richard Garriott—flew aboard another Soyuz.
Britain finally has an astronaut in ESA, Tim Peake, who has not yet flown.
Oh, and there’s one other prominent name in British space flight: Richard Branson, head of the space tourism company, Virgin Galactic.
