A British-built satellite will be onboard the first ever space launch from Spaceport Cornwall this year.
The Oxfordshire-built research satellite called DOVER from international engineering firm Rhea Group will be among satellites released into orbit by Virgin Orbit in the UK’s first ever horizontal space launch.
The satellite has been built by Open Cosmos at the Harwell Space Cluster, Oxfordshire. The satellite will transmit a signal, specially designed by engineers at RHEA, to provide data from space that can be used to obtain a position or an accurate time.
This new satellite completes the line-up for the launch, which also includes satellites from organisations including Space Forge in Wales, the Satellite Applications Catapult and Horizon Technologies, as well as the Prometheus-2 research demonstration satellites.
Prometheus-2 was co-funded and designed with Airbus Defence and Space and assembled by In-Space Missions, as part of a collaboration between the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and international partners, including the US National Reconnaissance Office.
The UK is poised to become the first country in Europe to launch satellites into orbit this year from home soil, a key ambition of the UK Government’s National Space Strategy.
The UK has world-leading expertise in satellite design, manufacturing, data and applications but, until now, has not been able to launch them from home soil.
Spaceport Cornwall is at the heart of a growing aerospace and space cluster and will create 150 jobs in the local area.
Dr Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency, said: “The countdown is on to the first satellite launch from Spaceport Cornwall, with a full complement of satellites confirmed by Virgin Orbit for what promises to be a landmark moment for our thriving space sector.
“The ability to launch satellites from UK soil will support our work to catalyse investment into the space sector, deliver new capabilities and champion the incredible role of space to benefit life on Earth.”
More about the launch
During the launch mission, a Virgin Orbit 747 will take off from the runway at Spaceport Cornwall, carrying a rocket beneath its wing. The plane will fly out over the ocean before blasting the rocket into space, delivering satellites into orbit around the Earth. In the cockpit will be Squadron Leader Mathew ‘Stanny’ Stannard, an RAF Test Pilot serving on industrial placement as one of Virgin Orbit’s pilots.
This will be the first satellite launch from UK soil and Virgin Orbit’s first mission outside the US. It follows the successful ‘Straight Up’ mission, that delivered seven satellites into space from Mojave in California in July.
Melissa Thorpe, Head of Spaceport Cornwall, said: “We’re thrilled to have ‘DOVER’ complete the line-up of satellites onboard Virgin Orbit’s first launch from Cornwall. Each payload highlights the innovation happening within the small satellite industry, and how it can benefit life on earth, while showcasing the growing collaboration between UK Space and international partners.”
