Virgin Orbit satellite launch from UK fails
“Just like in the United States, it is the combination of commerce, civil and national security that makes any space program or space launch program successful,” he said in an interview.
Hart said the payload of the Virgin Orbit rocket, which includes commercial satellites and equipment sponsored by the UK Department of Defense and the US Naval Research Laboratory, is an “excellent combination of funding sources” needed to sustain its costs. model,” he said. Full-service space program.
British authorities have done a round of research into the regulations and other work required for space launches in densely populated Western Europe, so the process should be smoother next time.
“We had to work very closely with Portugal, Spain and Ireland,” said the deputy head of the British Space Agency, which funded the launch because Virgin Airplanes “flies in controlled airspace.” Ian Annette said he said commercial airlines would have to reroute flights out of the way.
Making such arrangements led to delays. “Obviously the first launch was an expensive undertaking,” Hart said. Virgin Orbit said he had to keep the launch team in the UK since October, which cost him much more than expected, but the company said it was difficult to estimate exactly.
Virgin Orbit typically charges around $12 million for launch, but prices vary.
The UK already had a sizable satellite industry and was one of the leaders in designing and manufacturing relatively inexpensive shoebox-sized devices that were increasingly important for communications, surveillance and other purposes.
The government hopes it will give the UK an even greater advantage if it can get these satellites into orbit. With modest funding, the government has encouraged receptive local authorities, such as Cornwall and other local authorities in Scotland, to develop suitable sites for vertical rocket launches or jumbo jets to be used as launch platforms. I got
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/09/business/uk-satellite-launch.html Virgin Orbit satellite launch from UK fails