The UK will soon become the first country to launch satellites into orbit from Europe.
Several small satellites will be launched into orbit on the first UK launch.
According to a statement from Virgin Orbit:
“Partners for the United Kingdom’s first orbital launch announced today that the initial window for the historic Start Me Up mission will officially open on Monday, 9 January at 22:16 UTC with additional back-up dates continuing into mid and late January. Start Me Up is a collaborative effort between the United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA), Cornwall Council, the Royal Air Force, and Virgin Orbit. The Start Me Up mission 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. Yesterday morning, Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne system successfully completed an end-to-end launch rehearsal, taking the integrated system 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 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 a conservative posture with regard to system health, weather, and all other elements of scheduling.”
https://twitter.com/geoallison/status/1612016122164908033
How the launch will work
The UK Space Agency say here that the first launch will take place from Spaceport Cornwall in the south-west of England. It will be what is known as a ‘horizontal launch’.
A specially modified Boeing 747 from Virgin Orbit called Cosmic Girl, with a rocket attached under its wing, will take off from a runway. In flight, the LauncherOne rocket will launch from the wing, taking multiple small satellites into orbit. The jet will then return to the Spaceport, able to launch more satellites in future.
Why launch from the UK?
The UK Space Agency add that the UK has a growing space sector, which employs 47,000 people. UK space companies have a strong track record in satellite manufacturing, spacecraft design and data applications. In fact, Glasgow builds more satellites than anywhere outside the United States. Soon we’ll be able to launch them from the UK too.
The UK is located relatively far north, which means it’s perfect for launching satellites into polar and Sun-synchronous orbits, which go over the north and south poles. These orbits are ideal for satellites that monitor the Earth and provide telecommunications.
A great sovereign capability to have.
There are a lot of defence pieces falling into place.
Being 747 launched: I’m assuming this could be done from other sovereign UK bases that are equatorial….for other orbits?
Good reuse of a heavy commercial workhorse
Yes in theory any suitable runway anywhere with the facilities set up to process the the rocket/satellite combination with a clean room. Again the AngryAstronaut on YouTube has a tour of the facility if anyone is interested as well as a tour of Saxavord Spaceport in the Shetlands which is in its early stages of construction but has great potential and a number of contracts from launch companies in place. Goonhilly too has a video there as well as some of the launch companies get coverage. Well worth following as Britain hates to promote its promising enterprises. Ironically when he approached the UK Space Agency at an exhibition for an interview he was told (fear of the reps face) they would have to gain official permission even to answer some basic questions, yeah that’s at an exhibition of British Space Expertise. That’s the level of promotion to the World our agencies pursue it seems.
Don’t be too downhearted. The government is encouraging the expansion, of several manufacturing and delivery capabilities. When I was first asked to talk to a few of the companies in the chain, I found it was like trying to pull teeth, the people in the sector like to keep the cards close to their chest and I was there at the request of my dept.
One thing that has disappointed me is when attending an event on the outskirts of London connected to the UK space industry’s proposed Space Ports in Cornwall and Shetlands. Environmental protesters picketed the place. They are objecting the UK being part of what they are calling a wasteful industry and demanded the government abandons plans for a UK launch industry. It required the next meetings to be held at an undisclosed location. This capability has the potential to bring in billions to the country and thousands of jobs. The EU, is already doing it’s level best to show potential manufacturers, launchers and customers that it is the best option. Same for Australia, New Zealand and the traditional launch nations. We must not allow them to screw this up for the UK.
There are a lot of a**holes in the UK. Problem is dip s**ts in the BBC and Sky news that give them air time. “Journalists” are the real problem.
I blame the education system. They probably think rockets burn diesel and don’t have the curiosity to step outside of their little world of assumptions and biases (yes I see the irony) to educate themselves.
Don’t forget Sutherland spaceport.
Ascension Island springs to mind being our best sovereign runway located near the equator. However not sure if it’s far enough from the African coast so the second stage does not fall on land.
That’s being said it’s probably far more useful for military satellites to launch from the UK into polar orbits than to GEO stationary orbits which we can always just use space x or Arian for on the rare occasion we need it.
This capability may be utilized post March 2023 in support of AUKUS space initiatives.
Thanks George for that insight I have been trying to expand the understanding in this Country for some time now on just how impressive UK efforts in this industry are considering the small budgets and disgraceful lack of support from the UK Govt. The Space ports themselves and companies like Skyrora, Surrey Satellite Technology, Orbex and others are doing amazing work and really do deserve support and exposure that sadly in the public mindset we would rather give to business 15 minute of famers like Alan Sugar than real Pioneers like Hauser and Curry. This Country has such incredible talent but so little coordinated Governmental planning and support for developing and innovative industries. If anyone is interested you can listen to the AngryAstronaut on YouTube though American you will get a lot more promotion and enthusiasm for the UK space industry from him than you will ever get from people in power over here who simply can’t het their heads out of the asses of the Banking and Property sectors to Britains eternal detriment.
Fingers crossed all goes to plan. 👏👍🙏
A wonderful piece of news. Little known secret, the UK is a powerhouse in the manufacture of microsatellites. Being able to launch them only a few miles from where they are made will also cut down the major transportation costs too.
There’s several start-up manufacturers is Surray, Wales and the Midlands who are already engaged in building these new style boxes for companies around the world.
Hopefully, the UK government will go out of it’s way to protect this sovereign ability for the country and not allow it to be scooped up by a US, Indian or Chinese operation.
Next step is to secure a UK based chip manufacturer that can work towards a 3nm Chip!
I don’t trust the UK government to understand and protect UK space and defence companies or they wouldn’t have cleared the sale of Inmarsat. That was Jacob Rees-Mogg but I doubt any of the current government have a clue either. Typically we research in this country and the IP flows out with the sale to the foreign parent. Eventually, even if there’s initial goodwill, the original UK company withers on the vine.
I hope that a critical density of inter-reliant space industries will build, making it harder to effectively export individual firms and their jobs.
“a UK based chip manufacturer that can work towards a 3nm chip”
The whole chip manufacturing supply chain is fragile, not just the end point. I agree, it would be nice for a little more security there.
I think it’s fair to say that the current government has reached a level of corruption never seen in UK history.
They talk a good game on protecting national industries but do close to zero and always have their hands out. No chance a UK company would be buying a French or Chinese satellite operator or a Japanese chip maker everything should be reciprocal.
The US is a bit different because British companies have bought some very sensitive companies there.
Jim, yes, corruption I never ever thought we would see in this country. When I met other officers who were on an exchange or fact finding visit, I used to think “poor sod, they will never get anywhere in that corrupt country”. Yet thsts us now. I’m so angry, furious in fact. We used to set ourselves above countries like them. Not now, our politicians of all sides have brought our once fine nation down.
We need another Cromwell and I’m not joking.
Just think the position the UK would be in if Black Arrow wasn’t shut down by the government in the 60s.