In late 2005 the RAeS Space Group Committee published a discussion paper on "Humans in Space - UK policy" with a view to sparking debate on that subject.

Those of you who are already members of the Royal Aeronautical Society will have seen the Discussion Paper in the December 2005 issue of the Society's magazine "Aerospace Professional" – see reference 1. RAeS members were encouraged to submit comments on the issues raised in the Paper. Others may have accessed the Discussion Paper on our website or picked up copies at various conferences where I have presented its content – reference 2 is the standard conference presentation.

The Discussion Paper attempts to be logical and balanced. However, on a personal note I would like to say that the paper has been born out of long standing frustration at the state of manned spaceflight. I helped (in a very small way) to put the first humans on the Moon in the 1960s as manager of Apollo navigation at TRW in Houston, and then watched as NASA took bad decision after bad decision concerning human spaceflight programmes. I gave vent to my frustration in evidence submitted to hearings of a House of Lords Committee on space about 20 years ago, but only now have felt that the time was right to initiate a substantive discussion on UK policy.

The RAeS Space Group Committee has been heartened by the responses to the Discussion Paper, which have been numerous, articulate, thoughtful and full of insight. We thank all of you who took the trouble to respond. We particularly thank the British Interplanetary Society for organising a workshop on the subject which unearthed interesting supporting evidence in support of some of the Discussion Paper recommendations – see references 3 and 4.

A summary of the responses to the Discussion Paper has been published for RAeS members in the July 2006 issue of Aerospace Professional – see reference 5. A more complete and self-standing account was presented at SPACE 2006 in San Jose California in September (reference 6), that will be the basis for a RAeS formal Discussion Paper that we hope to publish in a few months time.

Thank you once again to those of you who have engaged with us in this debate. I believe that our joint effort has helped to promote a balanced and sustainable British programme of solar system exploration.

Best regards

Pat Norris
Chairman, Space Group
The Royal Aeronautical Society
4 Hamilton Place
London W1J 7BQ

24 October 2006

References:

1. "Humans in Space - UK Policy". RAeS Space Group discussion paper published in Aerospace Professional magazine dated December 2005, pages 14-16. Download here.. (pdf file)
2. "BIS Meeting to discuss UK Policy on Humans in Space". Report by Bob Parkinson on meeting held 27 May at BIS. Download here.. (doc file)
3. "The Royal Aeronautical Society Discussion Paper on Human Spaceflight". PowerPoint presentation by Pat Norris. June 2006. Download here.. (ppt file)
4. "Humans in space - UK policy". RAeS members' views on the Space Group Discussion Paper. Article by Pat Norris in Aerospace Professional magazine dated July 2006, pages 10-11. Download here.. (doc file)
5. "Raising the Stakes - Calls to change UK policy on human space flight". Meeting report and article by Bob Parkinson in BIS Spaceflight magazine dated August 2006, pages 298-299. (no link)
6. "The Human Role in Planetary Exploration - A UK Perspective". Paper presented by Pat Norris to Space 2006, San Jose CA, 19-21 September 2006. AIAA conference. Download here.. (pdf file)