What would you think of the UK launching space manned flights?

[hachiman]

They're focused on launching satellites, they don't fund the ISS and they're backing a spaceplane project called Skylon.

[Ferrit]

Did you mean as a government or a nation?

Um, the UK is part of the ESA (European Space Agency) and that is partner in the ISS.

Skylon is a private company venture, though has won a governement grant. Does look quite cool too (in fuction and I just like space planes!).

So the UK is doing it's bit, though I'd like to see a lot more! And definitely manned missions again without having to rely on NASA or the Russians.

Maybe when we're a bit less skint though...

[softweir]

I feel it is unlikely. So far, Skylon is not much more than a dream - they have an engine which is being tested and developed and they have a lot of interesting ideas for a vehicle, but it will require vastly more money than has so far been put into the project. So far, the only cash made available has been to further the engine development, and much of that has ben donated by the European Space Agency.

This is actually quite a canny approach. A working, pre-cooled, hypersonic engine that can switch from air-breathing to LOX oxidation is a saleable commodity, whether or not the Skylon spaceplane ever gets made.