The Rocket Tower

It might seem strange for Britain to have a National Space Centre but whilst the UK does not currently have a space programme of its own it is a little known fact did have one in the 1960's.

The University of Leicester is currently the leading institution in space research in the UK (mainly relating to satellites and planetary landing devices) and was heavily involved in the development of this visitor centre, officially known as the National Space Centre, which highlights the history of space exploration in general and the British involvement in satellite launch vehicles and its, very brief, adoption of land based ballistic missiles as part of its nuclear deterrent. 

The most easily recognisable building in the complex is the, strangely shaped, "Rocket Tower" which, amongst many other fantastic objects, houses an American built Thor missile and the British built  Blue Streak rocket.

The Blue Streak started life as a medium range ballistic missile. The missile project was cancelled  by the UK government in 1960, with the Thor missile as the preferred replacement but for a very short period only. The UK abandoned land based nuclear missiles in favour of air-launched weapons  1963 (later to be replaced by submarine launched missiles in the 1970s).

After cancellation of the Blue Streak as a missile system  an international collaboration was established  and the Blue Streak  became the first stage of the Europa satellite launch vehicle.  

The space centre building was designed by Nicholas Grimshaw,  and it opened to the public on 30 June 2001. The tower is 138 ft high and is said to  to be the only place to house upright space rockets indoors.

Numerous other exhibits include a Soyuz capsule, a mock up of part of the international space station and, on the top floor of the Rocket Tower, a detailed display relating to the Apollo programme. This includes a nostalgic reproduction of a 1960's British lounge with period wallpaper and a monochrome TV playing a recording  of the first moon landing. There is also a popular "space suit photo opportunity".

Buzz Aldrin visited the Space Centre in June 2005.