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A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with the Revd Azariah France-Williams

Good morning.

Back in 1971 on this day in South Australia at 4.09 am GMT, Britain launched a research satellite, Prospero, on a British-built rocket, the Black Arrow. This was a first. Black Arrow’s origins were part of a British reaction to the Blitz. The devastation brought about by German rockets deploying missiles catalysed the desire to have similar, or superior, power.

After the war, German scientists were employed by the British government to develop the necessary technology to build missile launching rockets but which later were adapted to launch small satellites instead. Whilst in transit to the launch site, there was a twist in the tale. What was then the British space programme lost its Ministry of Defence funding. As the rocket and satellite had already left British shores, the launch was permitted but left Prospero without hope of future satellite siblings launched by other British rockets. The remains of Black Arrowwere left to disintegrate in the Australian outback.

Perhaps It is easier to fund projects arising out of fear of the enemy than faith in the future. In the last couple of years, scientists from Scotland have salvaged what remains of Black Arrow. They paid for it to be returned to the UK with the hope of building new rockets inspired by aspects of the Black Arrow’s design. The company that did this says: ‘together we will bring access to space and help make our world a more connected and sustainable place.’

Dear God, show us this world through your eyes. Enlarge our faith and expand our imagination, in the name of Christ.

Amen.