Monday.. the world is on a date with an exciting space experience
The missile will launch a modified civilian aircraft.
The world is looking forward to a unique space experiment, next Monday, in which the first satellites will be launched from space, not from Earth.
This experience is also unique, as it will start from British territory, which will witness for the first time the launch of satellites into Earth's orbit, bearing in mind that Britain had previously sent its satellites to other countries in order to launch them.
We are accustomed to witnessing a vertical launch of space missiles taking place at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida , but the expected launch will be horizontal, as the modified aircraft will take off, as well as known commercial aircraft, from a British airport.
The launch will take place at 22:16 on Monday night from Newquay Airport in Cornwall, western England , after commercial flights end at the airport.
Virgin Orbit, which is organizing the experiment, says it is ready for this historic mission.
The British authorities have prepared reserve dates in case the launch is not possible due to the weather, next Monday, and the reserve dates include: January 13, 15, 18, 19, and 20.
And if the operation takes place on time, Britain is on a date with writing history, according to what the British newspaper “Daily Mail” considered, especially since the experiment coincides with the fiftieth anniversary of the launch of the British space project.
The launch is based on a modified Boeing 474 aircraft, which will carry a 21-meter-long missile under one of its wings, and the missile will also carry a number of satellites on board.
And when the plane reaches a specific height of just over 10,000 meters, specifically over the Atlantic Ocean, the missile will be thrown from it, and then it will launch on its journey into space.
It is expected that the free fall of the missile will last for a few seconds before it ignites and travels very quickly south towards Portugal as it climbs.
The moment the rocket reaches low Earth orbit, it will launch its payload of satellites.
The satellites include a prototype of what is known as a space factory that can manufacture materials that are impossible to make on Earth.
The plane bears the name "Cosmic Girl", and the missile it carries is called "Luncher One".
Source: websites