Spaceport Cornwall granted operating licence

The aviation regulator has granted Spaceport Cornwall an operating licence, allowing it to big the UK's archetypal abstraction launch.

Its archetypal ngo is expected to beryllium conducted by the Virgin Orbit institution successful the coming weeks.

The ngo has been fixed the rubric Start Me Up successful tribute to The Rolling Stones.

The 747 volition instrumentality disconnected horizontally portion carrying the rocket, earlier releasing it astatine 35,000ft implicit the Atlantic Ocean to the southbound of Ireland.

The level volition instrumentality to the spaceport, portion the rocket volition ignite its motor and instrumentality aggregate tiny satellites into orbit with a assortment of civilian and defence applications.

The CAA said Spaceport Cornwall had demonstrated it had met the due safety, information and biology aspects to run a spaceport successful the UK.

Richard Moriarty, main enforcement of the CAA, said the issuing of the licence was a "historic moment" for the UK.

"We're arrogant to beryllium playing our portion successful facilitating the UK's abstraction ambitions done assessing the safety, information and different requirements of these activities," helium said.

"This is different large milestone to alteration this state to go a starring motorboat nation."

Satellites produced successful the UK person antecedently needed to beryllium sent to overseas spaceports to get them into space.