Britain's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has awarded the final licences to Virgin Orbit to operate what will be the UK's first space launch.
The CAA said the company, owned by billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, demonstrated it has “taken all reasonable steps to ensure safety risks arising from launch activities are as low as reasonably practicable”.
Virgin Orbit will launch from Spaceport Cornwall at Cornwall Airport Newquay in south-west England.
Some time in the next few weeks, a specially repurposed Boeing 747 will take off horizontally from the new facility carrying the Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne rocket under one of its wings. It will then release the rocket at 35,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean to the south of Ireland.
The 747 will return to the spaceport, while the rocket will ignite and take multiple small satellites into orbit with a variety of civil and defence applications.
They will be the first satellites launched into space from Europe.
The licencing process has not been plain-sailing though. A window for the first flight opened on October 29 and the team was aiming for take-off before the middle of November, but failed to secure the licence in time.
Start Me Up
The mission is named Start Me Up in tribute to rock band The Rolling Stones.
“This is another major milestone in enabling the very first orbital space launch from UK shores, and these licences will assist Virgin Orbit with their final preparations for launch,” said CAA director for space regulation Tim Johnson.
“Effective licensing forms an integral part of UK space activity, and with public safety at the heart of our decision making we've worked with Virgin Orbit to assess their applications and issue licences within our expected timelines.”
The CAA said it awarded the licences within 15 months of receiving Virgin Orbit's plans. Spaceport Cornwall is one of seven spaceports being developed across Britain.
“Receiving Virgin Orbit's range and launch licences takes us one step closer to the first satellite launch take-off from UK soil,” said Virgin Orbit chief executive Dan Hart.
“This is a major milestone for the CAA and represents the successful completion of an enormous effort, which has included the construction of new regulations, new processes and new teams.”
UK Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “Today we are one step closer to opening the UK's galactic gateway, with Virgin Orbit receiving a historic first licence to allow the UK's first ever space flight launch.
“The planned launch reinforces our position as a leading space nation as we look to the future of space flight, which can spur growth and innovation across the sector, as well as creating thousands of jobs and apprenticeships.”
The government hopes commercial space missions will be worth £3.8 billion to the UK economy over the next decade.
The five pillars of Islam
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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Chelsea 2
Willian (13'), Ross Barkley (64')
Liverpool 0
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Quick facts on cancer
- Cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide, after cardiovascular diseases
- About one in five men and one in six women will develop cancer in their lifetime
- By 2040, global cancer cases are on track to reach 30 million
- 70 per cent of cancer deaths occur in low and middle-income countries
- This rate is expected to increase to 75 per cent by 2030
- At least one third of common cancers are preventable
- Genetic mutations play a role in 5 per cent to 10 per cent of cancers
- Up to 3.7 million lives could be saved annually by implementing the right health
strategies
- The total annual economic cost of cancer is $1.16 trillion
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
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Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
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- Bhiwadi, India
- Ghaziabad, India
- Hotan, China
- Delhi, India
- Jaunpur, India
- Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Noida, India
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- Peshawar, Pakistan
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Toss India, chose to bat
India 281-7 in 50 ov (Pandya 83, Dhoni 79; Coulter-Nile 3-44)
Australia 137-9 in 21 ov (Maxwell 39, Warner 25; Chahal 3-30)
India won by 26 runs on Duckworth-Lewis Method
if you go
New schools in Dubai
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
The biog
Mission to Seafarers is one of the largest port-based welfare operators in the world.
It provided services to around 200 ports across 50 countries.
They also provide port chaplains to help them deliver professional welfare services.
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Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
