Virgin Orbit prepares for first Cornwall launch

The initial launch window for Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne small satellite delivery system in the UK has been announced today (January 9) with additional back-up dates continuing into mid and late January.

The ‘Start Me Up’ mission is a collaborative effort between the United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA), Cornwall Council, the Royal Air Force, and Virgin Orbit.

Start Me Up will carry satellites from seven customers to space, including commercial and government payloads from several nations and a collaborative US-UK mission.

The LauncherOne system that will conduct the mission is now mated to its carrier aircraft, a Boeing 747 dubbed Cosmic Girl, at Spaceport Cornwall. The system has already successfully completed an end-to-end launch rehearsal, taking the platform through to the loading of propellants and proceeding through terminal count, resulting in the verification of the health of the system and readiness of the launch team.

Given the number of firsts being executed for this launch – the first orbital launch from UK soil or from anywhere in western Europe – Virgin Orbit and its partners will maintain what is termed a “conservative” posture with regard to system health, weather, and all other elements of scheduling.

Spaceport Cornwall received the United Kingdom’s first-ever spaceport license from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in November. In late December, Virgin Orbit was issued first-of-their-kind launch and range control licenses, which ensured all regulatory, safety, and environmental requirements have been met. And this week, the CAA announced that all of the satellites flying on this mission have received their licenses as well.

Ian Annett, deputy CEO at the UK Space Agency, said: “We are entering a new era for space in the UK with the first ever satellite launch from UK soil and from Europe. 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. 

“The development of new orbital launch capabilities is already generating growth, catalysing investment and creating jobs in Cornwall and other communities across the United Kingdom. This will lead to new careers, improved productivity and inspire the next generation of space professionals, and this is just the beginning. I look forward to seeing more launches from other UK spaceports over the next year, putting us firmly on the map as Europe’s leading destination for commercial small satellite launch.” 

Dan Hart, Virgin Orbit CEO, added: “After ensuring that every technical aspect is sound and every regulation and code has been satisfied, it is gratifying to see this historic endeavour on the verge of coming to fruition. This launch represents the opening of a new era in the British space industry and new partnerships across industry, government, and allies. Space is already responsible for tens of thousands of jobs across the UK, the global industry is growing quickly, and so is the potential. And this launch is demonstrating that with the Virgin Orbit LauncherOne system an airport can become a spaceport that sends humankind’s innovations on their journey.”

Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rockets are designed and manufactured in Long Beach, California, and are air-launched from the wing of a converted Boeing 747-400 aircraft. The air-launch platform can take off from any runway long enough to handle a Boeing 747 and is not reliant on traditional spaceports that support vertical launches, this capability creates a new level of mobility for small satellite launches, thereby enabling sovereign launch capability in new markets.

https://virginorbit.com