A 72ft (22m) life-size replica of the first rocket that will launch from UK soil later this year went on display outside the Science Museum in London this weekend (15-16 October)
Thousands of people visited the exhibition, led by the UK Space Agency, as part of the countdown to the first launch by Virgin Orbit from Spaceport Cornwall.
Families took part in a range of exciting, free space-themed activities and hands-on exhibitions, including a Virtual Reality experience offering the opportunity to experience what it’s like to be at Mission Control, the chance to try on a real astronaut suit and handle a real meteorite.
Science Minister Nusrat Ghani, who officially opened the event, said:
Following a successful wet dress rehearsal by Virgin Orbit in the US, the real LauncherOne rocket and its carrier aircraft – an adapted Boeing 747 dubbed “Cosmic Girl”– arrived in the UK last week. The integration of customer satellites into the rocket has been taking place in the newly inaugurated Space Systems Integration Facility (SSIF) at Spaceport Cornwall.
The mission, which has been named ‘Start Me Up’ in tribute to the iconic British band, the Rolling Stones, will mark the first orbital launch from the UK, meeting a key ambition of the Government’s National Space Strategy, as well as the first commercial launch from Europe and the first international launch from Virgin Orbit.
Ian Annett, Deputy CEO at the UK Space Agency, said:
The activities were supported by Virgin Orbit, Spaceport Cornwall, the Science Museum, Imperial College London and the Natural History Museum.
Virgin Orbit CEO Dan Hart said:
Squadron Leader Mathew Stannard, Chief Pilot, Virgin Orbit, who will pilot the plane that is set to launch the rocket, said:
The flight manifest includes payloads from seven customers, based in the UK and internationally.
The UK Government’s National Space Strategy sets out how the UK will become the first country in Europe to launch satellites into orbit in 2022. Spaceport Cornwall is one of seven spaceport sites being developed across the UK which will help unleash a wave of innovation and create hundreds of new jobs across the country. All UK launches are subject to receiving a licence from the Civil Aviation Authority.