The first ever rocket to launch into space from UK soil has arrived in Newquay ahead of its mission, which is likely to take place next month.
Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne was delivered via a military aircraft all the way from the United States on Friday (October 14). The rocket was made in California and landed in Spaceport Cornwall - the country's first domestic space port - where it will eventually take-off from.
The rocket will be sent into space from Virgin Orbit's Cosmic Girl converted 747 plane as part of the Start Me Up mission. LauncherOne will carry seven payloads into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) from Newquay airport.
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It was chosen by the UK Space Agency and the government for its runway, which was the longest in Europe. It was operated by RAF St Mawgan until 2008 when it was acquired by Cornwall Council.
The payloads being launched as part of the mission include the Sultanate of Oman's first ever satellite launch focused on Earth Observation, Wales' first satellite built by Space Forge and a Maritime monitoring payload built by Horizon Technologies and the Satellite Applications Catapult.
Satellites from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), DSTL and US National Reconnaissance Office will also be launched, reports CornwallLive. It's set to be a historic occasion with a string of firsts, including the first ever orbital launch from the UK, Virgin Orbit's first international launch and the first commercial launch from Western Europe.
Melissa Thorpe, head of Spaceport Cornwall said: "It’s been an incredible week at Spaceport Cornwall, and the arrival of LauncherOne is the cherry on top. Seeing the infrastructure in place makes our launch ambitions a reality. We cannot wait to see the rocket take to the skies soon, carrying Earth-benefitting satellite technology into Low Earth Orbit."
On the launch, Virgin Orbit CEO Dan Hart said: “We at Virgin Orbit are delighted to have been chosen to move Space Forge forward in their space journey as we look forward to our inaugural Cornwall launch. Space Forge is joining the growing community of space innovators advancing space technologies for the betterment of our world.
"Their commitment to sustainability builds a foundation for future growth in the industry that we at Virgin Orbit are proud to be part of.”
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