Virgin Orbit Fails to Launch First Satellites Into Orbit From the UK

Virgin Orbit's "Start Me Up" mission was supposed to be historic as it prepared to launch from Spaceport Cornwell on Monday, Jan. 9. But everything went south.

The space company's tweets indicate that everything was set in motion and the launch was good to go. It reported a smooth separation from Cosmic Girl, the company's carrier aircraft, and a successful ignition of the NewtonThree first-stage rocket engine.

Virgin Orbit even tweeted that "LauncherOne is now officially in space!"

What Went Wrong?

Nine tiny satellites for both home and commercial usage were carried by the rocket launched by the aircraft. However, the company reported an anomaly that stopped them from reaching orbit roughly two hours after the plane took off.

AP reported that a Royal Air Force pilot flew the aircraft back to Cornwall, and unfortunately, the satellites and the rocket were both damaged.

Richard Branson, a British businessman who founded Virgin Orbit, has successfully launched four identical rockets from California in the past.

Hundreds of spectators rejoiced when Cosmic Girl, a refurbished Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747, took off late on Monday.

The rocket was launched at the height of around 35,000 feet (about 10,000 meters), over the Atlantic Ocean south of Ireland, about an hour into the flight.

Dan Hart, the chief executive of Virgin Orbit, stated that a technical issue prevented them from launching the final orbit.

All About Start Me Up

The project was born out of a collaboration between the Royal Air Force, UK Space Agency, Virgin Orbit, and Cornwall Council.

In addition to the spaceport in Cornwall, Britain is also developing a spaceport in the Shetland Islands to the north of Scotland in an effort to become a significant player in the production and launch of satellites.

Despite the failed launch, UK Business Secretary Grant Shapps said that it was still a significant moment for the country.

"It didn't work. I've no doubt that they'll pick themselves up, dust themselves off and they'll go again once they find out what exactly went wrong with it," Shapps said in a statement with Sky News.

On Dec. 21, 2022, Virgin Orbit obtained the CAA's approval for the launch, eliminating the final legal obstacle to the launch.

Virgin Orbit had originally intended to launch in the middle of December 2022 but delayed it days later due to further technical work on the launch mechanism and a late license from the UK's Civil Aviation Authority.

Monday's event marks the company's first commercial launch from Europe and its first international launch in general. The mission was named Start Me Up in honor of the iconic British rock band the Rolling Stones.