Asked what the issues were in organizing a space adventure from far south-west Britain, launch manager Deenah Sanchezim was quick to point to Cornwall’s climate. “Honestly, to get used to the weather. In southern California we are extremely hot. Our systems are designed to withstand heat, humidity. It’s different here.” Sanchez said staff were working hard to get used to the weather and extra checks had to be made on equipment. “Also, there are a lot of things on the wheels that need to be tied. It was interesting but fun.” Within the next few weeks – if all goes well and a suitable weather window arises – a Boeing 747 called Cosmic Girl converted to carry a rocket prepared to propel satellites into space will take off from Cornwall’s state-of-the-art Spaceport facility near Newquay . The plane will fly to 35,000ft and release the rocket that will carry nine satellites into orbit – completing the first satellite launch from UK soil. At a VIP and press day on Tuesday, visitors were able to look into the clean room where satellites are prepared and a hangar where they will be loaded into the rocket. Outside, Cosmic Girl sat on an apron and was buffeted by the wind and showers but, at one point, lit up by a rainbow. Behind the scenes where the rocket is being prepared with satellites. Photo: Jonny Weeks/The Guardian Weather is not the only obstacle. The mission – codenamed Start Me Up after the Rolling Stones’ hit – is still waiting for the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to grant permission to fly the rocket and satellites. It was hoped that the flight would take place in the summer and then in the autumn, but it now seems likely that the mission will not take place until December. Asked if it was definitely going to happen, Ian Annett, deputy chief executive of the UK Space Agency, replied: “Of course.” He said the licensing process was “extremely complex” as this was something being done for the first time in the UK, but insisted: “We’re on track to deliver a launch in 2022, which has always been our aim.” Dan Hart, CEO of Virgin Orbit, the company leading the mission, said it was about serving customers who want their satellites in orbit, but also about opening a “gateway to space” in Cornwall. Hart said the company was “anxious” for the flight to take place as soon as possible. “We’re in a bit of a rough spot right now, but we’re making progress.” Hart said the UK space sector had been a vibrant community for decades and a leader in the development of small satellites – the kind this mission will send into space. “This is the beginning of a huge push forward,” he added. Lucy Edge, chief operating officer of the Satellite Applications Catapult, which works to develop the UK’s space ecosystem, said: “We’re very good at building small satellites, testing them and we’re very good at operating them and working with data. But we don’t have the ability to launch them before. This closes the supply chain.” Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Virgin Orbit Launch Engineer Dayle Alexander. Photo: Jonny Weeks/The Guardian While they await licensing, the crew continues to test and train. Dayle Alexander, 29, of Atlanta, Georgia, the chief launch engineer on the flight, also reported on the weather. “The rain was a challenge. We are not used to working in the rain. Some of our equipment was not as waterproof as it should have been.” He also mentioned a problem that other US visitors to the UK may experience. “In America we use a different trend. It was more difficult than we expected.” Meanwhile, the crew members are sightseeing, surfing and sampling the delights of Newquay’s pubs, which are more plentiful than in the California desert. “There were various things to do. In the Mojave there is nothing to do,” he said. Alexander looks forward to the flight, even as his stomach turns when the rocket is released and the plane plummets away. “At that point we almost hit zero gravity. We have thrown water bottles back and forth and they float. You are weightless for about 30 seconds. It s funny.”
