Tiny English resort town set for historic satellite launch

Final preparations are under way on Monday to launch the first orbital satellite into space from western Europe, when Virgin Orbit’s mission will turn the British surfing hotspot of Newquay into the country’s first spaceport.

A modified Boeing 747 with rockets in its wings will take off from Newquay airport on Monday afternoon, watched by crowds on the runway, before soaring across the Atlantic. After one hour it will release the rocket at about 10,700 meters.

The flight will speed up the small seaside resort of Newquay, in Cornwall in southwest England, with a population of 20,000 and best known to surfers for its reliable waves in the Atlantic, making it the center of attention as a western European destination for small satellites.

Virgin Orbit, owned by billionaire Richard Branson, said the mission would launch nine satellites from a LauncherOne rocket, which would be the company’s first outside a United States base.

Europe gets critical option to launch satellites

A new spaceport in Newquay gives Europe an option to launch smaller satellites at a critical time, after the Ukraine war cut off access to the use of Russian Soyuz vehicles. The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Ariane 6 rocket, designed to carry large satellites, is also experiencing delays.

The Ukraine war highlighted the importance for tactical military purposes of smaller satellites, such as those launched from Newquay, which can enter a smaller orbit than larger ones.

The plane is expected to take off at some point between 9:40 pm GMT (4:40 pm ET) and 11 pm GMT (6 pm ET), but it depends on weather and “system health.” Virgin Orbit has said there is a backup date available for later in January.

“Assuming that everything continues to look good, we are now well on track for launch,” a Virgin Orbit spokeswoman said on Sunday.

Space fans with tickets to the event will watch from the viewing area on the runway before attention shifts to the livestream from the big screen.

A growing market for small satellites

Virgin Orbit’s focus on small satellites is on the other side of the large satellites that companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX serve, but the market is growing.

It is used for climate change, observation, urban development and security purposes, and Britain hopes the new spaceport will boost the space economy.

The country has a large space industry employing 47,000 people, which builds more satellites than anywhere outside the United States, but which must travel to spaceports in the United States, French Guiana or Kazakhstan before they can enter orbit.

Getting the mission off the ground has taken time. It has been delayed since late last year due to numerous regulations required for the inaugural flight.