Why doesn't England care about space exploration

Question

or do they? Why does it seem the US, Russia, and China are the only ones interested?

Answer 1

the british empire isn't what it was in the victorian era--they owned prettty much all of the planet earth; and had there been space exploration they would be in the forefront--sadly, GB doesn't have the resources these days and has to settle for being a part of the ESA--european space agency

Answer 2

IN fact it does and is an important member of the European Space Agency.

The US and Russia (formerly the USSR) are in space "bigtime" because it was both of their principle show pieces in an attempt to prove which system, capitalistic or communistic, was better.  Both sides had majors wins, the USSR had the first orbiting satellite, orbited the first man, first in orbit rendevous, etc.  The US got the 'biggie" first lunar landing.

Now that the scientific and commercial uses of space are becoming obvious to everybody  China, Japan and India are getting more involved.

Answer 3

As to your second question: there have been no Brits on the Moon.  Just Americans.  The US and the USSR have been the only nations stupid enough attempt that feat.  The USSR, despite an early lead, bet on the wrong rocket and gave up in the middle of the moon race, declaring there had never been a race.  The Americans, despite early disasters, poured money into the program and managed 6 landings.  Losing interest in the whole thing, we canceled the final two flights.  Finally some common sense!!!  We no longer have the capability or the money for such silliness.  

Answer 4

Is it that they don't care, or that they're not willing to spend all the money required to become a major player?

But they do cooperate in the European Space Agency, so they care, just not enough to spend the mega-bucks.

Answer 5

the united kingdom participates in the european space agency.

esa do commercial and scintific stuff in space.

Answer 6

It used to care, and does  care  now, but in a financially constrained way which limits its visibility

Britain had an early interest in space exploration with the founding of the British Interplanetary Society  in 1933.

It did not participate in the 'space race' to the Moon  .  But it did have an active rocketry and research program  and put a satellite in to space on board a British made rocket in 1971  This satellite the Prospero X 3 is still in orbit.  Rocket research was scaled back to limited militery application before a manned flight.  This was pure economics.  The slow dissolution of the British Empire and the concomitant lessening of Britain presence on the world stage   made 'prestige' projects  like space flight less attractive.

Britain still has an active 'space industry' both in terms of reaserch and the   iconstruction of commercial satellites and space probes  but no longer builds its own  rockets for orbital payloads.

Government funding  is non existent because of the low political priority of space exploration..There is a degree of private interest in rocketry in Britain, such as Virgin Galactic attempts to create a space tourism industry and limited  research funds for space probes and the like but no government projects to develop a British based launch system.  Given British payloads  both commercial and scientific can  easily purchase access to American, Russian and ESA launches such a project is deemed economically unnecessary.  Especialy since the british isles are not geographically suited to launches.  The closer to the equator the better.  Hence the fact much 'British rocketry in the mid 20th century was based out of Australia

There are currently four British astronauts who  work under the aegis of NASA for training and deployment.   There has never been a British person on the moon.