After WW2, Britain began work on its independent nuclear deterrent, building on Nazi technology seized at the end of WW2. Over time, this would spawn a successful space programme that by 1971 was launching rockets into space. Today we’re going to talk about the forgotten British - and Australian - space programme.

In 1971 a British rocket, launched from Australia, carried a satellite into geostationary orbit. On that day, Britain became the fourth nation in history to achieve this feat of scientific and engineering genius. On the same day, it became the first nation to cancel its independent space programme entirely. Today, we’ll be talking about Britain, Australia and the space race and the traces of this forgotten achievement that can still be found today.

The Frank Micklethwaite Collection:

⁠https://www.v2rocket.com/start/chapters/backfire.html#collection⁠

⁠https://satellitemap.space/⁠

Guest: Dr Alice Gorman

Blue Sky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/drspacejunk.bsky.social⁠

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Host: Gareth Edwards

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Credits:

- Host: Gareth Edwards

- Editing : Hunter Christensen - Production: Linus Klaßen