UK space launch delayed on Virgin orbit snag
BRITAIN’S aviation regulator said the country’s first space launch was delayed by Virgin Orbit Holdings, as the company grapples with last-minute snags.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) added that the delay had nothing to do with licensing issues.
Tim Johnson, director for space at the CAA, said that “the UK space regulation process is not a barrier to a UK space launch”. He added that hurdles cited by Virgin “in no way relate to the timing of when a licence will be issued”.
Virgin Orbit, owned by billionaire Richard Branson, said earlier that the mission from Spaceport Cornwall in south-west England had been put on hold. The launch was originally planned for Dec 14.
Chief executive Dan Hart said the decision was made as UK licences for the launch and its satellite payload remained outstanding. He added that additional technical work was needed to establish system health and readiness.
Given an “available launch window of only two days, we have determined that it is prudent to retarget launch for the coming weeks, to allow ourselves and our stakeholders time to pave the way for full mission success”, Hart said.
The Cornish hub had already been issued with Britain’s first spaceport licence. The CAA said “wet testing” was carried out over the weekend. Wet testing involves the launcher being slung under the wing of a Boeing 747, from which it later blasts away, and loaded with fuel.
The CAA earlier said that it was in the “very advanced stages” of giving the go-ahead for the Virgin Orbit mission, as well as licensing firms planning to deploy satellites. BLOOMBERG
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