Disappointing End to UK Space Mission: Satellites Fail to Reach Orbit

By Staff, Agencies

A supposed British historic space mission that took off from Cornwall has ended in bitter disappointment after a rocket carrying the first satellites launched from British soil failed to reach orbit and was lost.

To whoops and cheers from a crowd that had gathered at Spaceport Cornwall to watch the launch, a converted Boeing 747 called Cosmic Girl took off on Monday night and headed out across the Atlantic.

It successfully released its rocket, called LauncherOne, carrying a payload of nine satellites off the south coast of Ireland.

But shortly after Virgin Orbit, which is leading the mission, announced there had been “an anomaly” and the rocket failed to reach the required altitude.

The rocket and satellites were lost but the UK Space Agency insisted they posed no danger and were expected to burn or break up over the north Atlantic. The 747 returned to Cornwall safely.

Matt Archer, the director of commercial spaceflight at the UK Space Agency, said he was hugely disappointed that the mission had not been successful – but still pleased that the first launch of satellites from Europe had taken place from British soil.

He further stated that “The first part of the two-stage rocket launch went well but the second stage failed and while the rocket reached space it did not attain the necessary altitude and orbit.”

“We don’t know what caused the anomaly but we achieved a launch,” he said. “A lot of positives have been achieved. Space is hard. We knew that this had a risk of failure. Launches don’t always work. We’ve created the conditions for launch here. We’ve shown we can do it and we’ll look to do it again”

Archer confirmed the rocket and satellites were lost. He said the trajectory of the rocket was on suggested there would be no risk to people. “The trajectory puts it over main bodies of water, so it’s completely safe,” he said.

The Space Agency had been proud at the prospect of the UK launching the first satellites in Europe. Archer insisted: “We launched. There are lots of positives. We will take that forward.”