CNN —
At the southwestern edge of England, where the land meets the Atlantic Ocean, Cornwall is known more for its rugged coastline and remote charm than for being a hub of global activity. But recently, locals have been looking skyward with excitement as a unique aircraft has been making low passes over the region.
The plane in question, taking off from Newquay Airport—ranked 29th in the UK—is no ordinary aircraft. Though it may resemble a standard Boeing 747 from the ground, this is “Cosmic Girl,” a repurposed jumbo jet that’s now part of the UK’s first-ever orbital space launch, scheduled for next month. The launch will take place from Spaceport Cornwall, which shares its runway with Newquay Airport.
Marc Andrew, a local resident from Newquay, visited the spaceport after work to witness the aircraft land. “It was amazing to watch, and will be a nice bit of history to tell my little boy when he’s older,” he told CNN. He plans to return for the November launch.
Cosmic Girl is the centerpiece of Virgin Orbit’s mission to send seven satellites into space. Once a commercial airliner for Virgin Atlantic until its retirement in 2015, the aircraft has been modified to carry LauncherOne, a rocket developed in California that will be deployed into Earth’s orbit.
Next month, Cosmic Girl will ascend from the clifftop runway in Newquay with LauncherOne mounted under its wing. Upon reaching an altitude of 34,000 feet, the rocket will be released and continue its journey into space. Onboard will be seven small satellites destined for low Earth orbit.
In a previous test, LauncherOne was dropped from the aircraft’s left wing and accelerated to speeds of up to 17,000 miles per hour as it soared into space.
A New Era for UK Spaceflight
Using a 747 for horizontal launches allows for greater flexibility in reaching different orbital paths, Virgin Orbit explained in a statement. This upcoming mission marks several firsts: the UK’s inaugural orbital space launch, Virgin Orbit’s first international launch, and Europe’s first satellite launch, according to Ian Annett, deputy CEO of the UK Space Agency.
LauncherOne completed a full launch rehearsal in Long Beach, California, on October 2 before being transported to the UK. Cosmic Girl arrived in Cornwall on October 11, and just days later, on October 14, completed a nearly three-hour test flight over Cornwall and southwest England. Locals reported seeing the aircraft flying low over their homes.
Virgin Orbit’s chief pilot, Matthew Stannard, who will pilot Cosmic Girl during the launch, expressed his excitement: “It feels amazing to bring Cosmic Girl home to the UK. We are weeks away now from the first UK launch at Spaceport Cornwall, so it’s all very real.”
Melissa Thorpe, head of Spaceport Cornwall, added, “Seeing the infrastructure in place makes our launch ambitions a reality.”
Looking ahead, Virgin Orbit plans to expand its horizontal launch capabilities to other countries, including Australia, Brazil, Japan, Poland, and South Korea—potentially bringing more “Cosmic Girls” to skies around the world.
Source: cnn.com