Cosmic Girl arrives

[XFool]

Virgin jumbo arrives in Cornwall for UK space launch

BBC News

The aeroplane that will be used for the first-ever satellite launch from the UK has touched down to begin mission preparations.

"The 747 is set to despatch a rocket out over the Atlantic next month to put nine spacecraft, including British-built ones, high above Earth."

[XFool]

UK space launch: Historic Cornwall rocket mission set to blast off

BBC News

The first ever orbital space launch from British soil is getting ready to blast off.

"Monday's mission will see a repurposed 747 jumbo jet release a rocket over the Atlantic to take nine satellites high above the Earth.

Newquay Airport in Cornwall is the starting point for the operation, on Monday evening after 2100 GMT.

If it succeeds, it will be a major milestone for UK space, marking the birth of a home-grown launch industry."

[odysseus2000]

Article is a bit short on details.

The freight Jumbo can carry 270,000 lbs, about 135 tons:

https://www.boeing.com/commercial/aerom ... /747ER.pdf

They don’t tell us the load or other features about where the rocket is attached & as far as I can tell the rocket is discarded.

Kind of wonder how much they actually save as the launch altitude is 35,000 feet, about 7 miles up, or can the rocket be made significantly lighter than a earth launch rocket?

The article & the program raises more questions than it answers in my mind.

Regards,

[Cornytiv34]

Virgin Galactic have a YouTube site covering the launch from Cornwall here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Co18HcyqHk

Starts tonight

Enjoy,
Mike

[ReformedCharacter]

Article is a bit short on details.

The freight Jumbo can carry 270,000 lbs, about 135 tons:

https://www.boeing.com/commercial/aerom ... /747ER.pdf

They don’t tell us the load or other features about where the rocket is attached & as far as I can tell the rocket is discarded.

Kind of wonder how much they actually save as the launch altitude is 35,000 feet, about 7 miles up, or can the rocket be made significantly lighter than a earth launch rocket?

The article & the program raises more questions than it answers in my mind.

Regards,

The LauncherOne rocket is designed to carry payloads weighing 300kg to sun-synchronous orbit and 500kg to an equatorial orbit.

https://www.aerospace-technology.com/projects/launcherone-air-launched-rocket/

Some advantages of air launch:

Less propellant \ increased payload.
Reduced air resistance at launch.
Optimised nozzle for lower air pressure and consequent increased efficiency.
Reduced structural loads on the vehicle potentially permitting a lighter structure.
Choice of launch sites enabling more optimal orbital insertion.
Possibly, cheaper ground support services.

However, given the recent proliferation of low cost ground launched systems, I'd guess that the advantages are relatively small but I'm obviously not a rocket engineer.

RC

[mc2fool]

Some advantages of air launch:
:
:

And some disadvantages:

"Alert:

​Please note: The following flights today 9th January have been cancelled to accommodate the Virgin Orbit Space launch -

1700 London Gatwick T3457 with Eastern Airways
1835 London Heathrow BE807 with flybe
2010 London Gatwick T3458 with Eastern Airways
2210 London Heathrow BE808 with flybe

Affected passengers should contact Flybe or Eastern Airways for information on how to rebook and compensation available. We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your support. "

https://www.cornwallairportnewquay.com/

[doolally]

Oh well, better luck next time
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-64218883
doolally

[ReformedCharacter]

Some interesting analysis by Scott Manley on the cause of failure and the financial and business consequences. He says that Branson may have to put his hand in his pocket to keep VO in business because there's likely little investor interest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRBhbAYu9L8

Which may not be surprising because Branson's other space business, Virgin Galactic, hasn't done well for his investors recently. Branson sold $300m of his stock at $60 per share just after his flight, conveniently before it got grounded for flying into airspace that had not been reserved for the flight, and before the announcement of what sounds like material defects in the spaceplane. Flights are unlikely to resume for another 6 months at least. Today VG's share price is $4.03. Good timing Richard I read somewhere that there's legal action in the offing.

RC

[Lootman]

Some interesting analysis by Scott Manley on the cause of failure and the financial and business consequences. He says that Branson may have to put his hand in his pocket to keep VO in business because there's likely little investor interest.

Yeah, I love Branson but this is too much for a small foggy island off the north-west coast of Europe.

God knows I love aspirational endeavour, along with God, King and Country. But this needs to be moved lock, stock and barrel to Nevada or wherever VG is.

[XFool]

...Why? We know the system works. Plus the UK already has a successful satellite industry, just not an 'in house' launch facility, as yet.

https://thenextweb.com/news/watch-virgin-orbit-launch-its-first-satellites-into-space

Or is it, IYO, a further case of "US Good; UK Bad"? Remember, The US didn't get where it is today in space with a spotless 100% success record; in the space business nobody has that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanguard_(rocket)#Launch_summary

[mc2fool]

the UK already has a successful satellite industry, just not an 'in house' launch facility, as yet.

And on a (very) small foggy island off the north coast of Scotland, indeed, the northernmost inhabited land of the UK:

Shetland’s location in the northernmost reaches of the UK make it an optimal place for the space economy.

The island of Unst in particular was identified in an independent report for the UK Government as the best location in the country for the launch of small vertical rockets transporting small satellites into low earth orbits. Its northerly location also means it is ideal for tracking and communicating with satellites already in orbit.

https://www.shetland.org/invest/sectors/space
https://saxavord.com/

P.S. Northerly launch sites are good (efficient) for sun-synchronous and other low earth polar orbits. Equatorial launch sites are best for equatorial, geosynchronous/geostationary or other high orbits. Virgin Orbit also had launch sites planned in Brazil and Australia.

[Lootman]

the UK already has a successful satellite industry, just not an 'in house' launch facility, as yet.

And on a (very) small foggy island off the north coast of Scotland, indeed, the northernmost inhabited land of the UK:

Shetland’s location in the northernmost reaches of the UK make it an optimal place for the space economy..

Good luck getting techies and boffins to work there! What are the odds that they would rather be in Nevada?

[Tedx]

the UK already has a successful satellite industry, just not an 'in house' launch facility, as yet.

And on a (very) small foggy island off the north coast of Scotland, indeed, the northernmost inhabited land of the UK:

Shetland’s location in the northernmost reaches of the UK make it an optimal place for the space economy..

Good luck getting techies and boffins to work there! What are the odds that they would rather be in Nevada?

Well they attracted plenty when they built a nuclear power station not to far away.

[servodude]

the UK already has a successful satellite industry, just not an 'in house' launch facility, as yet.

And on a (very) small foggy island off the north coast of Scotland, indeed, the northernmost inhabited land of the UK:

Shetland’s location in the northernmost reaches of the UK make it an optimal place for the space economy..

Good luck getting techies and boffins to work there! What are the odds that they would rather be in Nevada?

Well they attracted plenty when they built a nuclear power station not to far away.

ha ha!
You don't get to to tell physics your real estate is better

Once visited an old flat mate in Kiruna when she was working at Esrange. Even after a Hogmanay spent in Ordiequish THAT place got hee haw bloody sun!

[Tedx]

the UK already has a successful satellite industry, just not an 'in house' launch facility, as yet.

And on a (very) small foggy island off the north coast of Scotland, indeed, the northernmost inhabited land of the UK:

Shetland’s location in the northernmost reaches of the UK make it an optimal place for the space economy..

Good luck getting techies and boffins to work there! What are the odds that they would rather be in Nevada?

Well they attracted plenty when they built a nuclear power station not to far away.

ha ha!
You don't get to to tell physics your real estate is better

Once visited an old flat mate in Kiruna when she was working at Esrange. Even after a Hogmanay spent in Ordiequish THAT place got hee haw bloody sun!

I'm just say that it's not too difficult to attract the right people to any location - if you really want to.

[servodude]

And on a (very) small foggy island off the north coast of Scotland, indeed, the northernmost inhabited land of the UK:

Shetland’s location in the northernmost reaches of the UK make it an optimal place for the space economy..

Good luck getting techies and boffins to work there! What are the odds that they would rather be in Nevada?

Well they attracted plenty when they built a nuclear power station not to far away.

ha ha!
You don't get to to tell physics your real estate is better

Once visited an old flat mate in Kiruna when she was working at Esrange. Even after a Hogmanay spent in Ordiequish THAT place got hee haw bloody sun!

I'm just say that it's not too difficult to attract the right people to any location - if you really want to.

To be really honest, the folk I know who do this kind of stuff (even the ones that are more accurately described as political donors these days) are:
A] a bit mental
B] more than happy to follow the work
- the places these things are done are picked for good reasons

[XFool]

UK space launch: Dislodged fuel filter blamed for rocket failure

BBC News

The first ever satellite mission from the UK failed to launch last month because a rocket fuel filter had become dislodged, Virgin Orbit says.