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Meanwhile on Planet Johnson.....

(93 Posts)
GillT57 Tue 28-Sept-21 14:27:13

From The Times: Britain will launch rockets next year, vows Boris Johnson

Spaceports from Cornwall to Shetland will launch rockets into orbit next year as Boris Johnson promises to create 'galactic Britain'. The Prime Minister insisted that Britain cannot remain 'earthbound' and must seize leadership in the multi billion pound space industry. Chris Smith Whitehall Editor

Is this before or after we complete HS2/Cross rail, build the vanity yacht? It is getting to be increasingly like living through a rather cheesy and unrealistic political drama.

MaizieD Tue 28-Sept-21 22:38:04

their keenness to villify the prime minister doing what he’s supposed to do: promoting UK science and industry.

That'll be a first, then. Johnson doing what he's supposed to do...

Barmeyoldbat Tue 28-Sept-21 20:55:07

How patronising. Happy not to be included in the Johnson worshippers

MayBee70 Tue 28-Sept-21 20:47:24

That’s me told then grin…..

Bodach Tue 28-Sept-21 20:20:47

Come off it, MaisieD. My comments were not aimed at people like you, lemongrove, Alegrias1 and Visgirl (apologies to those I have missed), but to the others whose one or two-line responses reveal their keenness to villify the prime minister doing what he’s supposed to do: promoting UK science and industry. Comments like ‘It’s all in his dreams”, and “..he’s given up on his bridge and needs another vanity project” display the authors’ ignorance of the facts.

grannyrebel7 Tue 28-Sept-21 20:14:29

That made me laugh grannynannywanny! I think Boris has a few more problems on Earth to deal with before he starts messing around in space. He'll probably mess that up too smile

Barmeyoldbat Tue 28-Sept-21 20:09:38

Thank you Maize, it was obviously a dig at my comment. I have nothing against a space programme and despite want you think I do know about the many jobs it creates. My objection is to these huge projects that Johnson comes up that cost millions of pounds that we simp,y can’t afford. The tunnel, the yacht, his plane and so on. Yet we have people living on the streets, a lack of affordable housing, food banks, a back log of operations, and so on. Why can’t he come up with a decent plan to at least try and fix some of these problems instead of some pie in the sky project that most people struggling to get by are not the least bit interested in.

GillT57 Tue 28-Sept-21 20:04:29

Painfully apparent that you haven't read the thread Bodach! Majority of us support the space programme, but would prefer the liar in chief was not involved/taking credit

MaizieD Tue 28-Sept-21 20:01:18

Bodach

It’s painfully apparent that many of the sneering commentators on this thread have absolutely no idea about the UK’s involvement in space-related technologies - currently supporting 45,000 jobs - and the many future opportunities available to us in this area. Rather than wasting their time indulging in the usual knee-jerk reactions to anything involving the prime minister, they might more profitably read up on on the British firms currently at the forefront in this area. Glasgow, for example, hosts several companies specialising in micro-satellite technology, and the planned UK-based launch facilities will be a huge boost (in every sense of the word) to them and others of the same ilk.

Did you not read the posts any further than the amusement at the expense of your hero, Bodach. Few people have criticised the UK's involvement in space related technologies. It's Johnson's delusions of grandeur that have us laughing...

Bodach Tue 28-Sept-21 19:42:46

It’s painfully apparent that many of the sneering commentators on this thread have absolutely no idea about the UK’s involvement in space-related technologies - currently supporting 45,000 jobs - and the many future opportunities available to us in this area. Rather than wasting their time indulging in the usual knee-jerk reactions to anything involving the prime minister, they might more profitably read up on on the British firms currently at the forefront in this area. Glasgow, for example, hosts several companies specialising in micro-satellite technology, and the planned UK-based launch facilities will be a huge boost (in every sense of the word) to them and others of the same ilk.

Visgir1 Tue 28-Sept-21 18:54:55

Thought we have been involved with the Space Programme for many decades?
I know some industries in my part of the world have been seriously involved.
Why not go further...so much has come from the Space Programme.

Esspee Tue 28-Sept-21 18:52:22

Whitewavemark2

I could suggest an orifice.

???

Blossoming Tue 28-Sept-21 18:46:56

Spacex Falcon 9 inspiration4 was about 2 weeks ago, it was 4 civilians in space suits, with helmets that I suppose might be described as bubbles. They were fired off in a very large space rocket, not individually.

Barmeyoldbat Tue 28-Sept-21 18:45:21

It’s all in his dreams ,just like the tunnel to Ireland. This man needs to be sectioned

Whitewavemark2 Tue 28-Sept-21 18:27:48

I could suggest an orifice.

Petera Tue 28-Sept-21 18:26:17

MayBee70

Well, he’s given up on his bridge so needs another vanity project to occupy his little mind…..

I've long thought he'll support anything beginning with the letter B. Boris Bikes, Boris Bridge...

Don't know where his rocket fits into it though.

62Granny Tue 28-Sept-21 17:53:10

Please please let's club together and buy him and the rest of the cabinet a ticket! I will set up a go fund page ?

GrannyGravy13 Tue 28-Sept-21 17:51:36

Alegrias1

Its anything but a waste of money. Just because Johnson and his daft pronouncements make it sound like the Jetsons, its nothing to do with that. Its to do with electronics expertise, monitoring climate change, broadband provision and all those not-very-exciting sounding things.

Not manned space flight.

JaneJudge I have no idea what you're talking about. grin Elon Musk's rocket wasn't a bubble, it was a very different shape indeed grin

Beginning to be a habit, I totally agree with you.

Dinahmo Tue 28-Sept-21 17:50:26

In the dim and distant past there was a Space Research Group (part of the Physics Department) at UCL and my father worked in it. The head of the group was Professor Sir Harry Massey and my father made the instruments that were designed by the team to go in the first British satellite that was launched in 1973.

I have just finished reading the Leviathan Wakes, set in a future where most people have left and colonised Mars and lumps of rock in space. One of the main characters had been in charge of an enormous space craft which was used to transfer huge quantities of ice from a frozen plant to an inhabited planet which didn't have water. My conclusion was that we should be looking after our own planet so that leaving it to occupy other planets wouldn't be needed.

MayBee70 Tue 28-Sept-21 17:50:16

Well, he’s given up on his bridge so needs another vanity project to occupy his little mind…..

Alegrias1 Tue 28-Sept-21 17:36:52

Its anything but a waste of money. Just because Johnson and his daft pronouncements make it sound like the Jetsons, its nothing to do with that. Its to do with electronics expertise, monitoring climate change, broadband provision and all those not-very-exciting sounding things.

Not manned space flight.

JaneJudge I have no idea what you're talking about. grin Elon Musk's rocket wasn't a bubble, it was a very different shape indeed grin

JaneJudge Tue 28-Sept-21 17:29:25

Does anyone know what I am going on about? It's annoying me now

Is it that Elon Musk thing?

Eloethan Tue 28-Sept-21 17:19:14

Well, Johnson's renowned for his grandiose ideas and vanity projects - the money he wasted as Mayor of London was phenomenal.

What a stupid idea. We have so many problems to solve in this country and every penny and ounce of effort should be spent on those, in my opinion. I feel the same about all the space projects across the world, which I think are primarily for military purposes. So much disease and poverty in many parts of the world and money being wasted on things like this.

Alegrias1 Tue 28-Sept-21 17:15:35

I don't trust a word Johnson says.

But I do understand the need for a space strategy.

Which is why they shouldn't have let him anywhere near it. Its got nothing to do with him but I expect he likes being associated with space rockets. confused The space rockets are just the eye-catching bit.

Whitewavemark2 Tue 28-Sept-21 17:05:45

Alegrias1

Far be it from me to defend the government, but we're not spending untold billions.

The point is to attract inward investment of hundreds of billions for an outlay of £6bn.

Now, nobody mention that we had lots of fingers in lots of European space pies, don't detract from the positivity. grin

Honestly do you believe what he says?

I suspect that is why people are behaving as they are because there is zero trust or belief in Johnson or his government.

Petera Tue 28-Sept-21 17:01:18

Alegrias1

I'm actually all for our space industry. The revenue and technological advances we should see are immense.

However I almost changed my mind when I read "Galactic Britain". Why do they let him anywhere near it? ??

Exactly. Galactic Britain just shows the limits of his ambition. It should be Universal Britain.