By: James

James — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:49:40 +0000

The article says “the British government banning human spaceflight for the Queen’s subjects”
- I don’t believe this is true.
I know that the Thatcher government in 1986 decided not to fund or be involved in human space exploration and that POLICY has continued to this day.
However, I don’t believe a LAW has been passed which bans British citizens from space flight or being involved in human space exploration programs.
Various non US citizens have travelled into space due to govermental arrangements with NASA. eg Canada, Israel.
Of course the British government does not have such an arrangement.
Other non US citizens, without foreign goverment involvement, have been employed by NASA.
However in order to join the NASA astronaut training program US citizenship is required.
Of the three British astronauts named one was born with dual citizenship, one was working for NASA and became a US citizen in order to become an astronaut, the third had become a US citizen whilst working in the US prior to joining NASA.
Incidentally, Helen Sharman became the first Briton in space aboard a Soyuz flight in 1991 after winning a competition.
It seems no British law prevented her accepting her prize trip to the Mir space station and I don’t think she had to become a Russian citizen !

Comments on: Britain’s contribution to space travel – Teddy bear astronauts

By: James