Licences granted for Cornwall space launch satellites

All the satellites for the UK's first space launch from Cornwall have been granted licences.

The Civil Aviation Authority's made the announcement this afternoon, in a further step forwards for the launch from Spaceport Cornwall.

The satellites will make up the payload that will fly on Virgin Orbit's Start Me Up Mission from Newquay.

When the launch takes place, a specially modified Boeing 747 from Virgin Orbit called Cosmic Girl, with a rocket attached under its wing, will take off from a runway.

In flight, the LauncherOne rocket will launch from the wing, taking multiple small satellites into orbit.

They'll be used for a variety of jobs, including improving navigation and communications.

The plane will then return to the Spaceport, able to launch more satellites in future.

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