The first ever orbital satellite launch from the UK — and Europe — is set for takeoff tonight (Monday, January 9). The so-called “Start Me UP” mission, led by US-based Virgin Orbit, will set out from Spaceport Cornwall at Newquay Airport at around 21:15 UTC.
You can watch the launch via Virgin Orbit’s livestream below:
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At the center of the mission is a modified Boeing 747 aircraft, the Cosmic Girl, which is fitted with Virgin Orbit’s Launcher One rocket carrying nine civil and defense satellites.
Cosmic Girl will take off from Spaceport Cornwall and will ascend to an altitude of 35,000 feet (10.6 kilometers) above the Atlantic Ocean. Following about an hour of flying, it will release the rocket. Launcher One will then perform one orbital burn with each of its two stages before releasing the satellites.
If the mission succeeds (providing favorable weather and no technical shortcomings), it will be a major milestone for the UK’s space sector, marking the beginning of a domestic-based launch industry.
“The development of new orbital launch capabilities is already generating growth, catalyzing investment, and creating jobs in Cornwall and other communities across the United Kingdom,” Ian Annett, Deputy CEO at the UK Space Agency, said in a statement.
“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,” he added.
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