John Paul M. Joaquin Tech 10.20.2022 03:Oct AM EDT

Virgin Orbit’s Cosmic Girl Arrives Ahead Time for Milestone Satellite Launch

Virgin Orbit wants to be better prepared for its landmark orbital launch soon.

Virgin Group's launch company recently announced that its carrier aircraft has touched down in the United Kingdom earlier than expected for Virgin Orbit's first UK orbital launch.

Virgin Orbit's landmark orbital launch was initially announced to be underway sometime in the summer of 2022 at Spaceport Cornwall, in Newquay, Cornwall.

Virgin Orbit Cosmic Girl Early Arrival Details

Virgin Orbit mentioned in a statement that its Cismoc Girl carrier aircraft had landed at Newquay Airport in Cornwall on Oct. 11, half a month before the launch of its "Start Me Up" mission.

The company's carrier aircraft came with the ground support equipment (GSE) and equipment necessary to fulfill its moon following the first successful round of wet dress rehearsals on Oct. 5.

For those unaware, Virgin Orbit's Start Me Up mission is a collaboration between the US and the UK to launch various satellites into orbit that will fulfill military, maritime, scientific, or navigational purposes, per a separate statement.

According to Space.com, the mission will go as such: Cosmic Girl will have Virgin Orbit's rocket, LauncherOne, attached under its wing and fly it into the Earth's upper atmosphere.

Once Cosmic Girl enters it, the company will launch the rocket to bring its payload of satellites into Earth's orbit for government and commercial customers.

These satellites come from various government agencies and private companies. For example, the UK's Ministry of Defense has placed two Prometheus 2 cubesats on the mission's manifest.

These cubesats will be used to support the Ministry's science and technology activities in orbit and on Earth through the development of ground systems of its Defense Science & Technology Laboratory site near Portsmouth.

Another satellite, the "ForgeStar," is a new small-class vehicle from Space Forge to manufacture products that are impossible to create on Earth due to them requiring microgravity.

The company claims that using this process is more responsive and flexible than the traditional one of having rockets launched from the ground, such as NASA's and SpaceX's rockets.

Additionally, launching from the air means that Virgin Orbit won't need to construct and maintain a launch pad to launch their rockets from, turning airports into make-shift spaceports at the same time.

The launch is an important milestone for Virgin Orbit and the UK. It will be the first orbital launch ever executed from the UK, the company's first international launch, and the first commercial launch from Western Europe.

The launch will also showcase the growing space industry, which could provide jobs and play a role in "catalyzing investment, generating growth and prosperity," per UK Minister of Science Nusrat Ghani.

Virgin Orbit Start Me Up Mission Launch Details

The launch of Virgin Orbit's Start Me Up mission is set to occur at Spaceport Cornwall in Newquay, Cornwall, sometime in November, though the company didn't provide a specific date when it will occur.

This launch will be the fifth consecutive launch the company will execute to launch satellites into orbit for private companies and government agencies.