Clive Simpson
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Journalist/Editor. Author of climate thriller 'Flood Waters Down'. Bookshops & online. www.amazon.co.uk/Flood-Waters-Down-Clive-Simpson/dp/1739737415/re
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Articles by Clive Simpson
Axiom sets path to commercial space station era
Axiom Space expects the first two modules of its commercial space station to come together in orbit in 2029 as the company simultaneously advances new lunar spacesuits, sovereign astronaut missions and a distributed orbital computing network.
The joy of the ordinary
The pleasures of life in the Algarve are not necessarily the ones promoted in holiday brochures and on travel websites. A coffee taken outside on an otherwise unremarkable midweek morning. Buying locally made bread while it is still warm. A conversation that lasts rather longer than intended. Discovering that lunch is an event rather than an inconvenience squeezed between two appointments.
Tonne-scale space factory planned for 2028
Space Cargo Unlimited has announced plans to launch a one-tonne space factory aboard SpaceX’s Starfall re-entry vehicle in 2028, marking a significant step towards larger-scale commercial manufacturing in microgravity. The mission, which is due to launch on a SpaceX Starship rocket, would increase Space Cargo Unlimited’s current manufacturing capacity by an order of magnitude, scaling up from existing 100 kg missions to tonne-scale production.
Imagining climate futures at Threekingham Literary Festival
There was a phrase I wrote when signing a copy of Flood Waters Down at the Threekingham Literary Festival which, with hindsight, summed up much of the discussion that followed. “Fiction – for now, at least.” It was meant to be slightly tongue-in-cheek. But after the summer Britain and Europe have just experienced, perhaps not entirely.
The Water That May Come: fiction and climate reality collide
The intimate downstairs room at Lark Books in Lincoln was already warm with bookish expectation when the audience reverberated with a low, knowing laugh. On the very day Amy Lilwall was formally launching her novel The Water That May Come, the first named UK storm of the 2025 season, Storm Amy, barrelled its way across the country’s weather maps. It was the kind of coincidence publicists dream about and authors dread – too on-the-nose to mention, too irresistible to ignore.
Europe warned over space laser gap
Europe is investing billions of euros in sovereign space infrastructure but industry leaders are warning that satellites alone will not be enough to secure long-term strategic autonomy.
Hydrosat's on-demand thermal imagery offer
Hydrosat, a leading provider of thermal infrared satellite data and AI-powered analytics, has launched its new Discovery Portal, a centralised gateway for customers to access, explore and leverage thermal imagery and analytics from space. Discovery Portal enables organisations to access and evaluate thermal intelligence products powered by Hydrosat’s flagship Land Surface Temperature dataset, generated from its growing constellation of thermal infrared satellites.
Greek optical ground station boosts Europe’s space connectivity
Astrolight, a Lithuanian space and defence company developing laser communication solutions across space, ground and maritime domains, completed the commissioning of the Holomondas Optical Ground Station (OGS) in Greece this spring. The station will support Greek In-Orbit Demonstration and Validation (IOD/IOV) missions is now underway, with high-throughput, secure optical data transmissions from the satellites in orbit to the Holomondas OGS on Earth.
Europe at the edge of a new world
Lisbon, Portugal – As the first day of the European Space Economy Summit drew to a close, the tone shifted from policy detail to something more provocative. Addressing an audience of several hundred delegates, space industry veteran Rick Tumlinson from the United States delivered a keynote that was part historical reflection, part rallying cry – and part warning to Europe.
Spaceflux lands Canadian military space surveillance deal
London-based Spaceflux has been selected by MDA Space as the optical systems provider for a major Canadian military space surveillance programme. Under the multi-million-dollar contract, Spaceflux will support the delivery of three new ground-based telescope observatories in Alberta, Manitoba and New Brunswick by 2028 as part of Canada’s Surveillance of Space 2 programme for the Canadian Armed Forces.
NASA astronauts launch on lunar flyby mission
Spurred by American ingenuity, astronauts on NASA’s Artemis II mission are in flight, preparing for the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years. NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket lifted off from Launch Pad 39B at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:35 pm. EDT on 1 April, sending four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft on a planned test flight around the Moon and back.
Europe risks widening space gap despite investment rebound
Growing defence spending, Europe’s push for greater strategic resilience amid shifting US policy and increasing demand for commercial space applications are creating new opportunities for European startups. However, European companies still face many challenges, including funding, that could further increase the gap between Europe and the US and China, an investor says.
ISU launches world’s first online space research Master's degree
The International Space University (ISU) has launched the world’s first fully online interdisciplinary master’s degree dedicated exclusively to space research. The programme is distinguished by a unique research mentorship model that allows students to work with former astronauts, alongside academic supervisors, in shaping research questions grounded in real mission and operational experience.
New tool could reduce collision risk for EO satellites
Researchers at the University of Manchester have developed a new way to design Earth-observation satellite missions that could help protect the space environment while continuing to deliver vital data for tackling global challenges, such as climate change, food production, supply chain vulnerabilities and environmental degradation.
European AstroFest brings astronomy to London
European AstroFest, the UK’s longest-running annual astronomy conference and exhibition, returns to London this February, bringing together leading astronomers, space scientists and amateur astronomers for two days of talks, discussion and discovery. Organised by Polestar Publications, the event takes place on 6-7 February at the Kensington Conference and Events Centre and continues a tradition that stretches back more than three decades.
Global space traffic coordination platform launched
Swiss-based Spacetalk has launched a platform dedicated to the coordination of global space traffic in response to the absence of a unified international framework and the rapid proliferation of space actors. The company says it is offering a neutral, transparent and collaborative solution to prevent collisions, avoid conflicts, mitigate space debris, ensure equitable access to space and preserve the freedom to observe the universe.
Azores spaceport secures launch agreement with South Korea
INNOSPACE, a South Korean satellite launch service company, has signed a launch site use agreement with the Atlantic Spaceport Consortium (ASC), the operator of Portugal’s spaceport. Through this agreement, INNOSPACE has secured priority and long-term access to the Malbusca Launch Centre, located on Santa Maria Island in the Azores, Portugal, for a five-year period starting this year.
The AI machines that loved us to death
When Stoke-on-Trent writer Brendan Nugent began sketching the idea for his debut novel The Sentient Ones, he wasn’t just thinking of distant galaxies or killer AI robots, he was thinking of home. Of the red-brick terraces, of the old pottery works, of the canal paths of the Potteries, and what they might look like in 50 years’ time.
Spaceflux awarded multimillion-pound contracts for space surveillance and tracking
UK-based space domain awareness (SDA) and space intelligence firm Spaceflux has won three multimillion-pound, multiyear UK government contracts to provide advanced space surveillance and tracking (SST) data across multiple orbital regimes. The UK Space Agency (UKSA) and the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) contracts, awarded under the National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC) framework, secure Spaceflux’s central role in delivering the UK’s orbital intelligence capability.
CATALYST launches INSIGHTS Horizon for defence and govt agencies
Earth observation analytics and intelligence solutions provider PCI Geomatics (DBA CATALYST) has announced the launch of INSIGHTS Horizon, a comprehensive service that delivers mission critical early actionable intelligence for defence and government agencies. Traditionally, limited data availability and slow image processing has compromised the success of a mission, leaving operations vulnerable to piracy, smuggling and other significant security threats.
Alpha Data launches Versal RF COTS
Three groundbreaking products leveraging AMD Versal™ RF Series adaptive SoCs have been launched by Alpha Data, a leader in high-performance FPGA-based Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solutions. These are the first deployable solutions based on the Versal RF adaptive SoCs, offering unprecedented integration and performance from a single chip, for system developers in aerospace, defence, communications, test and measurement and space ground-segment applications.
IAC 2025 heralds new era in space sustainability
The global space community gathered in Sydney for the 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2025), held from 29 September to 3 October 2025. Organised by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the world’s largest space non-profit association with more than 600 members from 82 countries, the event was hosted by the Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA) and co-hosted by the Australian Space Agency (ASA) and the New South Wales Government.
The Water That May Come: fiction and climate reality collide
The intimate downstairs room at Lark Books in Lincoln was already warm with bookish expectation when the audience reverberated with a low, knowing laugh. On the very day Amy Lilwall was formally launching her novel The Water That May Come, the first named UK storm of the 2025 season, Storm Amy, barrelled its way across the country’s weather maps. It was the kind of coincidence publicists dream about and authors dread – too on-the-nose to mention, too irresistible to ignore.
The Lincolnshire Fens desperately need new flood defences
The Fens of South Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire have always been precarious – a landscape engineered by human determination, machinery and hard labour. Now, as ageing infrastructure meets rising seas and volatile weather, the vast area of low-lying land faces its gravest threat since it was drained in the 17th century. According to a new report on the Lincolnshire Live website, the county could be forced to “surrender the Fens” back to the sea unless billions of pounds are spent on new defences.
Asgardia to host inaugural ‘Galactic Prime Directive Conference’
The Space Nation of Asgardia is poised to convene its inaugural Galactic Prime Directive Conference, a pioneering event exploring the legal and ethical frontiers of interstellar governance and humanity’s burgeoning role beyond Earth. Set to take place on 20 September 2025, from 13:00 to 15:00 UTC, the conference will be webcast live via the Asgardia YouTube Channel.
The Cure by Eve Smith: deadly secrets and dystopian fears
The title of this Newark Book Festival talk – ‘Deadly Secrets and Dystopian Fears’ – could hardly have been more apt. In the intimate surrounds of the town’s National Civil War Centre, speculative thriller author Eve Smith took centre stage, joining crime writer Eva Björg Ægisdóttir for a compelling discussion hosted by Dr Tim Rideout.
World’s largest space event comes to Australia
The world’s largest and most influential space gathering, the 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), is set to take place in Sydney, Australia, from 29 September to 3 October 2025. This milestone event is organised by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and hosted by the Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA), in collaboration with the Australian Space Agency and the NSW Government.
Room The Space Journal of Asgardia
sort by magazines Report from 2nd annual Space Economy Summit Does it matter who gets there first?
Ariane 5 - Spaceflight Now
News and articles on space environment
sort by magazines NASA’s nimble-fingered seamstresses and the latest technical textiles Space activities key to current and future sustainability efforts Katherine Courtney talks to ROOM Editor-in-Chief about the importance of sustainability in space and the UK’s contribution to achieving it.
UK government unveils industrial strategy
Space business leaders have hailed the UK’s just announced Modern Industrial Strategy as a game changer for the country’s thriving space industry. As UK Space Conference (UKSC) prepares to convene on 16-17 July in Manchester, space business leaders have voiced broad support for the government’s new industrial strategy. The Industrial Strategy names space as a ‘frontier’ industry alongside 10 others “where investment supports both economic growth and security”.
Solar storms are increasingly threatening our life on Earth
It’s easy to think of space as remote, something ‘out there’ with little bearing on daily life. But in truth, Earth orbits inside the Sun’s vast outer atmosphere and that makes us far more exposed to its moods than we might imagine. The growing risk from solar storms is real, timely and increasingly urgent, with solar activity building toward the peak (known as solar maximum) of its 11-year cycle later this year.
SpaceX faces renewed scrutiny over Mars ambitions after Starship malfunctions
SpaceX’s ninth test flight of its Starship launch system ended in failure on 27 May 2025 when the upper-stage vehicle lost control and broke up during re-entry over the Indian Ocean.The mission had been launched from the company’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, and marked the first use of a previously flown Super Heavy booster. Although the launch achieved several milestones, including stage separation and reaching space, both stages of the system were ultimately lost.
Families Like Ours - when climate fiction feels all too real
We are living in a time when yesterday’s dystopias are starting to feel like tomorrow’s headlines, and the Danish TV drama Families Like Ours, which I’ve just finished watching (BBC 4 and iPlayer), could hardly be timelier. Humanity’s climate emergency no longer lurks in some distant, abstract future. It is encroaching, slowly and unevenly, into our daily lives, politics and psychology.
Axelspace on track to expand its EO microsatellite network
Japan’s Axelspace Corporation, which designs, manufactures and operates microsatellites, has announced its intention to launch seven next-generation Earth observation (EO) microsatellites in 2026. The GRUS-3 satellites will expand the company’s microsatellite constellation to include more than in total, enabling observation of broader areas with increased frequency.
Milestone in space reproduction as IVF prototype successfully tested in orbit
In a pioneering move toward enabling independent life beyond Earth, Dutch biotech-aerospace company SpaceBorn United has confirmed the successful launch and data return from the world’s first IVF minilab prototype designed specifically for human reproduction research in space. The mission — launched 21 April 2025 on SpaceX’s Bandwagon-3 — marks the first time a system engineered to support early stages of human reproduction has been deployed in orbit.
Climate change denial: why words and language matter
Climate change denial thrives on manipulated language and disinformation. A new study confirms these California fires were significantly more likely due to global warming, yet denial persists through cherry-picked data and misinformation. Words wield power and nowhere more so than in the animated discourse on environmental crises. As the recent California wildfires have tragically illustrated, the consequences of misinterpreting or dismissing climate terminology are anything but abstract.
Space Nation issues Declaration of Independence
Asgardia the Space Nation has issued its own Declaration of Independence following the 12th meeting of its Supreme Space Council on the Greek island of Corfu this week (13 August 2024). The meeting of the heads of all branches of power in the world's first Space Nation became a historic event - by the Council’s decision, the enactment of the Declaration of Independence of Asgardia occurred.
Sunday lunch in the French Alps
We are at the winter ski resort of Les Carroz in the French Alps, perched on a 1,140 metre plateau high above the valley and just an hour’s drive from Geneva. The clouds are low and swirl in a playful way over the mountains on this late August summer’s day, teasing the landscape with short-lived shafts of light.
NASA faces sticky choice between Boeing and SpaceX for safe return of astronauts
NASA and Boeing, alongside many professional and amateur space commentators on social media, have been in deep discussion this past week about whether to return two astronauts on board the Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
NASA postpones Starliner's crew return amid thruster concerns
NASA and Boeing managers have again extended the stay of Starliner at the International Space Station (ISS) this time into July, raising questions among more outspoken commentators as to whether its crew of two Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will need to be offered an alternative means of returning to Earth.
NASA troubleshoots helium leaks after Starliner launch
The mission of the first crew to be launched on Boeing’s Starliner is facing multiple helium leak problems, which could at best compromise the flight’s seven-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS) and at worse – well let’s not go there. Starliner’s launch from KSC Wednesday (5 June 2024) morning local time was picture-perfect and it represented the first time since the Mercury missions of the early 1960s that a crew had been launched on an Atlas family rocket.
Spanish and German firms join forces to expand commercial access to space
PLD Space and Exolaunch have announced a joint mission of expanding European access to commercial space opportunities after signing a Strategic Partnership Agreement to provide competitive and sustainable end-to-end launch services for small satellites. PLD Space, the pioneering Spanish space launch company, and Exolaunch, a global leader in launch mission integration and deployment technologies, share the same vision of ensuring reliable access to space for small satellites.
#spacesustainability #environment #space #portugal #unoosa
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Lisbon summit addresses space threats
The world needs a globally inclusive and cooperative governance framework to safeguard present and future space operations, the director of UNOOSA told a major international conference in Lisbon, Portugal, this week.
Glaring errors: the impact of LED headlights?
A new report entitledModern vehicle headlights dazzle drivers and may compromise road safety, put together by concerned road users, light experts and other specialists, says vehicle headlights should be regulated to reduce the dazzle they cause on-coming drivers.
NASA announces delays to astronaut lunar missions
There is no doubt that the United States and NASA is now finding it hard to get back to the Moon. Astrobotic Technology, the company that developed the first lunar lander to launch from the United States in five decades, abandoned its attempt to put its Peregrine spacecraft on the Moon less than 24 hours after the vehicle took flight this week due to technical problems with the spacecraft .
COP28 needs to avoid the slow march to climate apocalypse
Our precious planet and human life as we know it is in peril. This is the premise of Karen Thompson-Walker’s much talked about novel The Age of Miracles, an apocalyptic tale of the future. Written from the viewpoint of a woman looking back at her childhood, the ordinary moments of life and adolescence become more profound in the light of an unfolding disaster affecting everyone on Earth.
Empire of darkness - AI’s existential threat to humanity
Rishi Sunak has been at Bletchley Park, hosting an AI Safety Summit for global politicians, tech executives and experts, and speaking of the need for “honesty and openness” in its use. Just before the Hamas attack on Israel, the renowned Israeli author, historian and philosopher Yuval Noah Harari was in Azerbaijan, to give a keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 74th International Astronautical Congress1 (IAC) in Baku.
A Fenland Garden by Francis Pryor: perfect for every gardener and nature lover
“But the Glory of the Garden lies in more than meets the eye” – Rudyard Kipling Rudyard Kipling’s poetic tenet from The Glory of the Garden could not ring truer for archaeologists Francis Pryor and Maisie Pryor who, in the Autumn of 1992, acquired a large field bounded by hawthorn hedges and ditches in a remote corner of the Lincolnshire Fens.
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