The mouse.
Just a few months ago, the UK was on the edge of space, ready to launch satellites from Cornwall, with live coverage of the first of many launches; which would secure the UK a place among the world’s serious aerospace powers.
Now the company involved has, after one failed launch, gone to the wall.
This kind of thing always reminds me of the movie “The mouse on the moon” about a Ruritanian micro-state, somewhere in Europe, that launches a successful mission to the moon.
The BBC covers the event by visiting the UK factory where one of the astronaut’s wristwatch was made, quoting a government minister who says “This shows the UK is at the cutting edge of the space race”. Or words to that effect.
Given the movie was made in 1963, its analysis of UK aerospace capabilities and its complete inability to see itself for what it is is remarkably ahead of its time.
Let us just say that if the leading new space launch company cannot survive one failed launch, then perhaps we shouldn’t have been clued to the box watching it fail live on air.
Watching reruns of “The mouse on the moon”, would have been more educational and realistic.
Economics, trade and Brexit, not necessarily in that order but the dog always comes first.
By Jonty Bloom Media