My recollection is that decision was a straight-up "success is irrelevant, HM Treasury has decided that the UK cannot afford to have an orbital launch program".
From the timing, one certainly could speculate that the needed pounds were being squandered on other programs - ones given higher prior, but less-competent leadership.
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The UK also shut down it's space program very shortly before they put their first satellite in orbit. Is this the same sort of decision?
My recollection is that decision was a straight-up "success is irrelevant, HM Treasury has decided that the UK cannot afford to have an orbital launch program".
Wikipedia's version: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Arrow#Cancellation
From the timing, one certainly could speculate that the needed pounds were being squandered on other programs - ones given higher prior, but less-competent leadership.