With Virgin Orbit, the British space industry pushed itself to new frontiers
The British space industry is breaking new ground as Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit company makes the final preparations for its Start-Me-Up mission
- Plans for the launch follow the mission’s approval by the Civil Aviation Authority
The first space mission to be launched from Britain launches on Monday.
Sir Richard Branson’s company Virgin Orbit is making the final preparations for its Start Me Up mission, which will see a modified jumbo jet carrying a space rocket under its wing lift off from Newquay Airport in Cornwall.
Plans for the launch follow last month’s approval of the mission by the Civil Aviation Authority.
Flying high: Virgin Orbit’s Cosmic Girl plane will fly nine satellites on the LauncherOne rocket
The launch window will open at 10:16 p.m. Monday evening, but in the event of delays there will be alternate dates later in January.
Named after The Rolling Stones’ 1981 single, Start Me Up will feature Virgin Orbit’s Cosmic Girl plane taking off from a runway using the nine-satellite LauncherOne rocket.
Cosmic Girl will fly the rocket approximately 35,000 feet across the Atlantic before launching into freefall, after which LauncherOne will fire its booster engines to reach space.
“This launch marks the beginning of a new era in the UK space industry,” said Dan Hart, CEO of Virgin Orbit.
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