Voices of Science

Robert Parkinson (1941-), rocket science and space engineer, worked on propulsion systems for rocket engines and missiles at the Rocket Propulsion Establishment, Westcott before moving into industry in the early 1980s where he was involved with many of the major European space projects of the 1980s and 1990s. These included the propulsion system for the Eurostar communications satellite, the Envisat-Earthobservation satellite and a period as chief system designer on the EuroMoon studies. Alongside Alan Bond he was one of the creators of HOTOL (Horizontal Take-Off and Landing), an aborted scheme for a revolutionary space plane that would reach orbit without the need for a rocket. Since retirement in 2002 he has worked as a consultant on space related topics, served as President of the British Interplanetary Society and teaches system engineering as a visiting professor at Queen Mary University.