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[[File:BRGlogo.jpg|frame|The 2006 British Rocket Group logo (''Guinevere One'' website)]]
'''The British Rocket Group''' was the [[United Kingdom]]'s [[space]] exploration organisation in the [[20th century|20th]] and early [[21st century|21st]] centuries.


The '''British Rocket Group''' was a scientific think-tank advising on space matters and the [[United Kingdom]]'s official space agency.
After the war, the Group hired a [[Germany|German]] professor [[Heinrich Schumann]]. He was (correctly) suspected to be a [[Nazi]] war criminal by his co-workers but was never charged. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Threshold (audio story)|Threshold]]'') Other post-war staff included Professor [[Jeffrey Broderick]], Professor [[Rachel Jensen]], [[Allison Williams]], and a man called [[Bernard Quatermass|Bernard]].


== History ==
During the 1950s and early 1960s, it was famous for its pioneering work on propulsion systems and rocket guidance arrays and for a serious of controversial orbital flights. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Who Killed Kennedy]]'') In [[1959]] it collaborated with the [[United States of America]] on an experimental space plane, the [[Waverider]]; the project director was [[Edward Drakefell]]. The Wavrider was destroyed in an encounter with a hostile parallel universe. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Loving the Alien]]'')
=== 20th century ===
The group was formed in the early [[1950s]], initially as a private group, with its first rocket in [[1953]]. ([[WEB]]: ''[http://web.archive.org/web/20090412195031/http://guinevere.org.uk/aboutbrg.html Guinevere One: About the British Rocket Group]'') During this decade, Rocket Group ran rocket launches with such controversial results that some scientists decided to leave or to retire early. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Who Killed Kennedy]]'') Several of their staff were former [[Nazi]] scientists, with [[Heinrich Shumann]] being a former war criminal; everyone at the Group suspected the truth but the organisation officially denied it. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Threshold (audio story)|Threshold]]'')


[[Rachel Jensen]] worked there some time before [[1963]], before being drafted as the [[scientific advisor]] to the [[Intrusion Countermeasures Group]]. In the British Rocket Group, she had worked under "[[Bernard Quatermass|Bernard]]". ([[TV]]: ''[[Remembrance of the Daleks (TV story)|Remembrance of the Daleks]]'')
It was reduced to a skeleton crew by the 1960s. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Who Killed Kennedy]]'')


During the latter half of the [[1960s]], only a skeleton staff remained when Professor [[Ralph Cornish]] took over the organisation. However, he negotiated a deal with [[Ashley Chapel]] to claim the latest cutting-edge technology available from [[International Electromatics]], after the death of [[Tobias Vaughn]]. Cornish re-christened the Group, the '''British Space Centre''' to bring its moniker in line with its new function, making Britain a force in the space race. The Space Centre was based in [[Hertfordshire]], which acted as [[Space Control]] when it began co-ordinating the [[Mars Probe]]s launched by [[Great Britain]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Who Killed Kennedy]]'')  
In [[1963]], the [[Intrusion Countermeasures Group]] drafted Jensen and Williams to help with the [[Shoreditch Incident]]. Jensen remarked that the British Rocket Group had problems. ([[TV]]: ''[[Remembrance of the Daleks]]'')


One of these probes included [[Mars Probe 7]], with the objective of sending a crew to [[Mars]]. Its crew included [[Joe Lefee]] and [[Frank Michaels]]. Shortly after landing on the planet, all communications from the crew ceased, even when the ship departed. Concerned, the British Space Centre sent [[Charles Van Lyden]] in the ''[[Recovery 7]]'' to rendezvous with ''Mars Probe 7''. Van Lyden, like Lefee and Michaels, was captured by [[Alien Ambassador's species|aliens]], who sent three of their ambassadors to [[Earth]] in the ship. However, the aliens eventually departed. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Ambassadors of Death]]'') After this Mars Probe crisis, Ralph Cornish resigned his position, and the British Space Centre reverted to its original name again. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Who Killed Kennedy]]'')
When Professor [[Ralph Cornish]] took over, the Group was rejuvenated and renamed the [[British Space Centre]]. Using Cyberman technology, it jumped to the forefront of the [[space race]] and by 1969 ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Who Killed Kennedy]]'') it was running the [[Mars Probe]] series of spaceflights to Mars. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Ambassadors of Death]]'')  


During the 1970s, it worked closely with the [[Space Security Department]] and shared their offices at [[London]]'s Space Centre. ([[WEB]]: ''[http://web.archive.org/web/20090412195031/http://guinevere.org.uk/aboutbrg.html Guinevere One: About the British Rocket Group]'') However, the British space programme came to a brutal end when Mars Probe 13 was attacked by the [[Ice Warrior|Argyre Clan of Ice Warriors]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Dying Days]]'')
By [[1970]], the name was Rocket Group again. Cornish was in overall charge of Britain's space programme and Professor [[Bernard Trainor]] ran the Group. It was instrumental in getting useful information about Neptune and Uranus from unmanned probes. Trainor was killed that year during the [[Waro]] attack. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Devil Goblins from Neptune]]'')


During the [[1980s]] and [[1990s]], with the space programme over and the Security Department closed down, the British Rocket Group again became a small private venture. The Group moved to Harrogate and concentrated on developing new tools for the analysis of metreorites, as well as setting up a linked chain of orbital satellites for deep space observation. ([[WEB]]: ''[http://web.archive.org/web/20090412195031/http://guinevere.org.uk/aboutbrg.html Guinevere One: About the British Rocket Group]'') In [[1997]] it was reborn as a powerful government agency with the creation of the [[Mars 97]] mission, but this was part of an Argyre Clan/[[Lord Greyhaven]] plot and the mission was wiped out. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Dying Days]]'')
The Martian missions ended after 1977's ''Mars Probe 12'' was slaughtered by the [[Ice Warriors]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Dying Days]]'')


=== 21st century ===
By 1997, the Science Minister Lord [[Grayhaven]] pushed for a new [[Mars 97]] manned mission as part of a conspiracy: to give an Ice Warrior faction an excuse to invade and occupy Britain. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Dying Days]]'')
The British Rocket Group remained, however. By [[2001]] it hired Professor [[Daniel Llewellyn]] to oversee a new series of [[space probe]]s. The ''[[Guinevere One]]'' Mars probe project began in 1 August 2003 ([[WEB]]: ''[http://web.archive.org/web/20090415204250/http://guinevere.org.uk/aboutguin.html Guinevere One: Daniel Llewellyn]'') and was launched on [[31 October]] [[2006]]. This occurred during the administration of [[Prime Minister]] [[Harriet Jones]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Christmas Invasion]]'')


Some time in the early to mid 21st century, the Group was bought by space tourism billionaire [[Campbell Irons]], who moved it's base of operations to the [[Space Defence Station]] in [[Devesham]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Feast of Axos]]'')
In [[2006]], Prime Minister [[Harriet Jones]] oversaw the launch of the [[Guinevere One]] satellite. This was launched by the British Rocket Group under Professor [[Daniel Llewellyn]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Christmas Invasion]]'')


Later in the 21st century, British astronauts would be part of [[NASA]] rather than the British Rocket Group. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Waters of Mars]]'')
In the early to mid 21st century,the space tourism billionaire [[Campbell Irons]] bought the Rocket Group and moved it to [[Devesham]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Feast of Axos]]'')


== Behind the scenes ==
==Behind the scenes==
* The British Rocket Group originated not on ''[[Doctor Who]]'' but in the [[BBC]]'s [[1950s]] horror-[[science fiction]] television serials featuring [[Bernard Quatermass]]. The first Quatermass serial, ''[[Wikipedia:The Quatermass Experiment|The Quatermass Experiment]]'', featured the grotesque transformation of a British astronaut as a dangerous alien organism took over his body. This would explain why a number of the scientists involved would have opted for an early retirement. The first (and only, in televised terms) references to the British Rocket Group (and of "Bernard") occurred as an in-joke in ''[[Remembrance of the Daleks]]''.
* In ''[[The Christmas Invasion]]'', the British Rocket Group does not get a direct mention, but in-[[Doctor Who Universe|universe]] websites did so.


[[Category:British organisations]]
The British Rocket Group were the protagonists in the influential ''Quatermass'' sci-fi serials. The mention of the Group and "Bernard" (Quatermass' first name) was an easter egg reference by [[Ben Aaronovitch]]. (In ''Quatermass'', they were originally called the British Experimental Rocket Group)
 
''Who Killed Kennedy'' states that their name was changed by Ralph Cornish, explaining why a different name was used in ''The Ambassadors of Death''.
 
While the agency is unnamed in ''The Christmas Invasion'', a "British Rocket Group" logo can be made out in the background. The BBC created an in-universe tie-in website for the Guinevere One which included a Rocket Group history, though this is not considered canonical by this wiki.
 
==External Links==
 
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/quatermass/berg/ British Experimental Rocket Group website] (promotional website for the 2005 ''The Quatermass Experiment'' remake)
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20060404205440/http://www.guinevere.org.uk/aboutbrg.html Guinevere One: "About the British Rocket Group" archive]

Revision as of 01:12, 10 May 2014

The British Rocket Group was the United Kingdom's space exploration organisation in the 20th and early 21st centuries.

After the war, the Group hired a German professor Heinrich Schumann. He was (correctly) suspected to be a Nazi war criminal by his co-workers but was never charged. (AUDIO: Threshold) Other post-war staff included Professor Jeffrey Broderick, Professor Rachel Jensen, Allison Williams, and a man called Bernard.

During the 1950s and early 1960s, it was famous for its pioneering work on propulsion systems and rocket guidance arrays and for a serious of controversial orbital flights. (PROSE: Who Killed Kennedy) In 1959 it collaborated with the United States of America on an experimental space plane, the Waverider; the project director was Edward Drakefell. The Wavrider was destroyed in an encounter with a hostile parallel universe. (PROSE: Loving the Alien)

It was reduced to a skeleton crew by the 1960s. (PROSE: Who Killed Kennedy)

In 1963, the Intrusion Countermeasures Group drafted Jensen and Williams to help with the Shoreditch Incident. Jensen remarked that the British Rocket Group had problems. (TV: Remembrance of the Daleks)

When Professor Ralph Cornish took over, the Group was rejuvenated and renamed the British Space Centre. Using Cyberman technology, it jumped to the forefront of the space race and by 1969 (PROSE: Who Killed Kennedy) it was running the Mars Probe series of spaceflights to Mars. (TV: The Ambassadors of Death)

By 1970, the name was Rocket Group again. Cornish was in overall charge of Britain's space programme and Professor Bernard Trainor ran the Group. It was instrumental in getting useful information about Neptune and Uranus from unmanned probes. Trainor was killed that year during the Waro attack. (PROSE: The Devil Goblins from Neptune)

The Martian missions ended after 1977's Mars Probe 12 was slaughtered by the Ice Warriors. (PROSE: The Dying Days)

By 1997, the Science Minister Lord Grayhaven pushed for a new Mars 97 manned mission as part of a conspiracy: to give an Ice Warrior faction an excuse to invade and occupy Britain. (PROSE: The Dying Days)

In 2006, Prime Minister Harriet Jones oversaw the launch of the Guinevere One satellite. This was launched by the British Rocket Group under Professor Daniel Llewellyn. (TV: The Christmas Invasion)

In the early to mid 21st century,the space tourism billionaire Campbell Irons bought the Rocket Group and moved it to Devesham. (AUDIO: The Feast of Axos)

Behind the scenes

The British Rocket Group were the protagonists in the influential Quatermass sci-fi serials. The mention of the Group and "Bernard" (Quatermass' first name) was an easter egg reference by Ben Aaronovitch. (In Quatermass, they were originally called the British Experimental Rocket Group)

Who Killed Kennedy states that their name was changed by Ralph Cornish, explaining why a different name was used in The Ambassadors of Death.

While the agency is unnamed in The Christmas Invasion, a "British Rocket Group" logo can be made out in the background. The BBC created an in-universe tie-in website for the Guinevere One which included a Rocket Group history, though this is not considered canonical by this wiki.

External Links

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