Letter: Spaced out in the Millennium

Sir: Plans for the Millennium Exhibition at Greenwich really do need livening up (Letters, 27 June). One of the activities certain to dominate the 21st century is space technology to which Britain has made valuable contributions through international programmes.

Examples are global telecommunications and TV broadcast relay by satellite (which a Briton, Arthur C Clarke, pioneered in 1945), weather survey, Earth resources survey and an expanding interest in satellites for monitoring global warming and the spread of polluting agents worldwide. We have one of the finest facilities for remote sensing data-reduction at Farnborough.

One could also bring in the US and other countries with which we have collaborative space agreements. For example, great interest is being shown in the spectacular results of the Hubble Space telescope (to which Britain contributes). Images of planets, stars, galaxies and other celestial objects have enormous impact on the big screen.

All this, and much more, could be brought into focus with great educational impact by satellite-relayed television.

KENNETH GATLAND

Past-President

British Interplanetary Society

Ewell,

Surrey