ISLAND HISTORY
life
Above: The Needles New Battery showing a model of Black Arrow and in the left corner a life-size model of Prospero.
Earth.
Despite the success of the testing and
launch operations, interest in the British
missile programme cooled. In the early
1960s, the Black Knight rockets began
to be used to carry research modules
into the upper atmosphere. In 1965, the
Highdown team turned its attention to the
next project in Britain’s space programme,
Black Arrow, which was designed to
launch a satellite. The first rocket was
launched in 1969 and in October 1971, the
British satellite, Prospero, was successfully
sent into space. It carried out data
collection and is still in orbit today.
While the Americans and Soviets
continued to spend billions on their space
programmes, there was disagreement
on how British rockets should be
used. Funding for the space project
and any further work at Highdown
was withdrawn and the Island’s rocket
testing site was quickly abandoned.
The site was briefly put up for tender
to potential buyers, but closed in July
1972. It is now owned by the National
Trust. The concrete runway where
the rockets were rolled out to the
huge test gantry is still standing and
underground the rocket testing rooms
have been restored. A model of Black
Island Life - www.isleofwight.net
Arrow together with a life-sized model
of Prospero is on display at the Needles
New Battery, a reminder of the work on
the Island that once placed Britain at the
forefront of the space race.
New Battery opening times:
Tuesdays, Saturdays & Sundays from
15th March – 2nd November, 11am -4pm
and most days during school holidays
(please phone to check 01983 754772). The
property closes in high winds. Admission
to the New Battery is free.
Photos courtesy of Saunders Roe archive
and the National Trust.
Below: Preparing the Highdown site.
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