Gallery: A Look Inside Britain's Plucky (and Criminally Overlooked) Space Program

  • The Synergetic AirBreathing Rocket Engine developed by Reaction Engines is designed to propel the Skylon spaceplane.
    James Ball
    01

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    The Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine, developed by Reaction Engines, is designed to propel the Skylon spaceplane.
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    James Ball
    02

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    A satellite under construction at Airbus Defense and Space.
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    James Ball
    03

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    A pre-cooler cryogenic test at Reaction Engines.
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    James Ball
    04

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    Phil Guttridge, head of electric engineering at Mullard Space Science Laboratory, holds a 2/3 scale model of Prospero, built by Ball. Launched in 1971, it's the only British satellite launched by a British rocket, and is still in orbit today.
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    James Ball
    05

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    A precooler module at Reaction Engine's B9 facility.
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    James Ball
    06

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    A centrifuge used to test extreme gravity forces experienced by astronauts, rotating up to 30 revolutions per minute.
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    James Ball
    07

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    A satellite under construction at Surrey Satellites.
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    James Ball
    08

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    At Airborne Engineering, the STOIC nozzle was designed for the SABRE rocket engine.
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    James Ball
    09

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    Taken at the Science Museum Archives, this "Rolls Royce RZ2," a rocket engine, was designed for the Blue Streak missile.
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    James Ball
    10

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    Rocket parts at Airborne Engineering.
  • The Sokol KV2 spacesuit and launch chair at the National Space Center.
    James Ball
    11

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    The Sokol KV2 spacesuit and launch chair at the National Space Center.
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    James Ball
    12

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    Steve Bennett, owner of space tourism company Starchaser Industries, holds the record for largest rocket launch from the UK.
  • At the Science Museum archives this model shows an underground launch site for Britain's Blue Streak missile.
    James Ball
    13

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    At the Science Museum archives, this model shows an underground launch site for Britain's Blue Streak missile.
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    James Ball
    14

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    At the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, a thermal vacuum chamber tests flight-like conditions on Earth.
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