THE UK has made history this evening as the first European country to launch a rocket into space from home turf.
The UK Space Agency and Richard Branson’s rocket company Virgin Orbit’s Start Me Up mission is said to mark a ‘new era’ for the space industry.
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The rocket piggy-backed on Virgin Orbit’s 747 plane, known as Cosmic Girl, before launching several satellites into Earth’s orbit from the Cornwall spaceport in Newquay.
About an hour after take-off, it is expected that the rocket detached at around 10,700 metres (35,000ft), falling for a few seconds before shooting past Portugal and the Canary Islands.
At about 1.30am on Tuesday, Virgin Orbit’s mission controllers should know whether the rocket has successfully delivered the satellites into orbit.
“Tonight’s planned first orbital space launch from the UK is a historic moment,” said Dr Alice Bunn, president of the industry trade body UKspace.
“We are on the cusp of an industrial revolution in space.
“Small satellites provide essential services for every single one of us; they are the invisible enabler of our modern lives, and the UK already has a global lead in their manufacture… which is why having a launch capability in the UK is so strategically significant.”
Virgin Orbit was handed the official launch licences just weeks ago.
The long-awaited launch had faced a number of setbacks, having been delayed from its mid-December launch over technical issues and weather conditions.
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CEO Inmarsat, of one of the biggest satellite company’s in the UK, Rajeev Suri, said the launch would not only help support the economy during a cost of living crisis, but also boost defence.
“It is fantastic to see the UK’s space sector reaping the rewards of its investments in recent years with the first ever launch from a UK spaceport,” he said.
“This inspiring achievement will boost confidence in the UK’s space sector, bolster UK defence and bring fresh enthusiasm to the public consciousness.
“Not enough has been done to inspire the people of the UK, or to show them the benefits we all enjoy from space.
“This launch will help move the needle. Today is a great day to be a part of the UK’s space sector.”
The UK’s space industry generates around £14.8billion per year and already hosts some 42,000 jobs, according to figures from UKspace.
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