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January 8 (Reuters) — A mobile air-launched rocket system to be used in Britain’s first domestic satellite launch could sow the seeds for a globally dispersed rapid-response capability to put extra eyes in space in times of war, executives and analysts said.
A former Virgin passenger plane is scheduled to take off from Newquay Airport tonight, before heading out to the Atlantic and dropping a rocket that will fly nine satellites into space.
History was made in the UK tonight as the first-ever orbital space launch took off from Cornwall. A plane had been modified to release a Virgin Orbit rocket carrying nine small satellites into space.
Virgin Orbit's space plane took off from Newquay Airport at 22:02 GMT and is currently on its way out to the Atlantic, where it with drop a rocket that will then blast into orbit with a payload of nine satellites.
Virgin Orbit's repurposed 747 jumbo jet took off from Cornwall shortly after 22:00 GMT and about an hour later dropped a 70-ft long rocket from its belly which then blasted into space.