![]() Its launch licence and range licence was granted later in the month by the UK Civil Aviation Authority, with backing from the transport secretary. In July, Virgin Orbit announced its plans to have its first international launch take place from Spaceport Cornwall later in the year.ĭespite initial intentions to take off in December, Virgin Orbit had to delay the launch as a result of “additional technical work”. – From Polish Small Satellite and SatRev is the STORK-6 satellite, which forms part of their STORK constellation. – An Earth observation satellite from Oman, which is an initiative between Sultanate of Oman, Polish Small Satellite, SatRev, TUATARA and ETCO. – Dstl as well has partnered with the US Naval Research Laboratory for their Coordinated Ionospheric Reconstruction CubeSat Experiment. – The UK’s Ministry of Defence’s Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (Dstl) is launching two cubesat satellites, dubbed “Prometheus-2”, to aid its science and technology ventures from its base in Portsmouth. – IOD-3 AMBER, a joint satellite by Satellite Applications Catapult, Horizon Technologies and AAC Clyde Space is the first of a 20-strong constellation that will give Maritime Domain Awareness data. – Space Forge, based in Cardiff, is using its seat on the mission to carry out the first in-space test for its reusable satellite capable of making materials in orbit. The Oxford-based company also had one of its satellites on the SpaceX Transporter-6 mission earlier this month. – Open Cosmos’ SmallSat DOVER satellite, which will be used for global navigation satellite systems. Onboard the inaugural flight are seven small satellites from a mix of startups and organisations. Virgin Orbit is live-streaming the entire event via its YouTube here from 21:00 today. 01:15 – 01:30 – Confirmation that satellites have disconnected from LauncherOne.00:00 – 01:00 – Cosmic Girl returns to Spaceport Cornwall.22:54 – 23:54 – Cosmic Girl releases the LauncherOne rocket containing the satellites.22:16 – 23:16 – Virgin Orbit’s Boeing 747 “Cosmic Girl” takes off.The scheduled timings for the launch are: Image credit: Virgin Orbit Where and when can I watch the launch? Virgin Orbit’s adapted Boeing 747 “Cosmic Girl” should be viewable in the UK within the first minute of launch, illustrated by the blue and cyan on the map below.įrance, Spain and Portugal’s coastal regions will be able to see the launch between two and three minutes after lift-off. It is one of several sites across the UK hoping to usher in an age of UK satellite launches. That includes significant contributions from the UK Space Agency (£7.35m), Cornwall Council (£5.6m) and European Regional Development Funding (£2.8m). Situated at Cornwall Airport Newquay, Spaceport Cornwall is a consortium crewed by Cornwall Council, Virgin Orbit, Goonhilly Earth Station and the UK Space Agency.Ĭornwall Airport Newquay was nominated as a potential launch site eight years ago and has since attracted more than £20m in funding. Image credit: Virgin Orbit What is Spaceport Cornwall? The remaining part of the craft is a rocket payload that detaches and continues its journey into Earth orbit. ![]() In fact, most of the vehicle is a plane – a converted Boeing 747 that has been largely stripped out to reduce weight. While Elon Musk’s SpaceX uses vertical take-off and re-usable autonomous rocket boosters, Virgin Orbit’s launches are horizontal, like an aeroplane. It supplies launch services for small satellites, not to be confused with Branson’s other space company Virgin Galactic, which aims to provide commercial space flight.įounded in 2017, Virgin Orbit is taking a different approach to putting satellites into space from its competitors. Virgin Orbit is a US company founded by billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson. Here’s everything you need to know about the Virgin Orbit launch, how you can watch it and what it means for the UK’s space industry. If the launch is postponed again, backup dates are lined up for later this week and next week. ![]() “This is a significant landmark for the nation, the UK Space Agency and for all those who have worked so hard over many years to make our ambitions to create a commercial space launch capability a reality.” “We are entering a new era for space in the UK with the first ever satellite launch from UK soil and from Europe,” said Ian Annett, deputy CEO of the UK Space Agency. Taking off from Spaceport Cornwall, Virgin Orbit’s Boeing 747 “Cosmic Girl” will climb to an altitude of 35,000 feet where it will drop its LauncherOne satellite payload. Virgin Orbit has been given the go-ahead for the first orbital satellite launch from the UK, with the initial launch window starting on Monday at 22:16.
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