Virgin Orbit made the first launch of a spacecraft from the UK. The LauncherOne rocket did not enter orbit.
The LauncherOne rocket, launched on the night of Tuesday, January 10, by the American company Virgin Orbit, could not reach Earth orbit due to an “anomaly”, the press service said. This is Virgin Orbit’s first launch of a spacecraft into orbit from UK soil.
The launch vehicle, which was supposed to put 9 satellites into orbit, was aboard a modified Boeing-747 aircraft called Cosmic Girl. It took off late on January 9 from Newquay Airport in southwest England.
An hour and a half into the flight, at an altitude of 10.7 km above the Atlantic Ocean, the plane fired a rocket. However, it is not possible to successfully complete the mission called Start Me Up. The rocket fired its first stage engine and began its ascent into low Earth orbit, but it was never completed.
Meanwhile, the Boeing 747 landed safely in Cornwall. It is reported that the satellites that the LauncherOne rocket is supposed to put into orbit can be used for both civilian and military purposes.
The development of the UK space industry
British billionaire Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit, based in California, has successfully conducted four similar rocket launches into the Pacific Ocean from US soil since 2021.
Newquay Airport is one of seven spaceports to be built by the UK. It is expected that during 2023 the first vertical rocket launch will be made in Scotland.
The UK government expects the UK space industry market to be worth £3.8bn (€4.3bn) over the next ten years.
A source: Russian Service DW
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Source: korrespondent
I am Ben Stock, a passionate and experienced digital journalist working in the news industry. At the Buna Times, I write articles covering technology developments and related topics. I strive to provide reliable information that my readers can trust. My research skills are top-notch, as well as my ability to craft engaging stories on timely topics with clarity and accuracy.