Virgin Orbit's "Cosmic Girl," a retrofitted Boeing 747 plane, is scheduled for a horizontal launch into orbit Monday night from the United Kingdom's Spaceport Cornwall. The mission, dubbed Start Me Up, is the first orbital launch in both the UK and Western Europe. It's also the culmination of a yearslong effort by the country to enter the modern space race.
Cosmic Girl has a payload of nine small satellites from several customers, including the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, the U.K. Ministry of Defence, and the government of Oman.
Don't expect the same fanfare as some recent space launches. Horizontal space launches are generally more seamless. Cosmic Girl will take off like a normal plane, fly to around 35,000 feet above the southern coast of Ireland, and then deploy the LauncherOne rocket.
The LauncherOne is a so-called air-launched rocket. Launched from a carrier aircraft at high altitudes, the rocket is able to deliver small payloads of satellites into orbit. Virgin Orbit developed the concept over years, and started putting it into use in 2021.
Ian Annett, deputy chief executive at the UK Space Agency, has heralded the launch as an "iconic moment" — though it's not technically England's first. The agency completed a mission, called the Black Arrow, back in 1971, but the launch actually took place in Australia.
This is Virgin Orbit's sixth launch. The private space company had initially planned six for 2022, but lowered its forecast amid financial troubles. The company recently announced plans to raise $25 million to refill its shrinking cash reserves.
How Incorporating Resistance Bands Can Diversify Workout Sessions
A giant Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton that’s been dug up from three sites in the United States is going up for auction in Zurich. It's a first sale of its kind in Europe.
As the inaugural guest on Cheddar News' new show Be Well, Dr. Sandra Lee, also known as Dr. Pimple Popper, discussed when (and when not) to pop a pimple and how to take care of your skin and keep an eye out for signs of more dangerous issues such as cancer.
Moderna and Merck & Co. have developed a cancer vaccine that cuts the risk of death or recurrence of most deadly skin cancer by 44 percent compared to Keytruda on its own, according to researchers.
The company got the OK on Friday from the Federal Aviation Administration. CEO Elon Musk is giving 50-50 odds of Starship reaching orbit.
Vertical farming startup Babylon Micro-Farms recently raised $8 million in a Serie A round. Alexander Oleson, CEO and co-founder of Babylon Micro-Farms, joined Cheddar News to explain his company's mission to help businesses and communities grow their own fresh produce in a sustainable manner.
A new lab test can detect Parkinson's disease in its early stages.
Cheddar News is highlighting companies with a focus on sustainability for Earth Month. Ashley Allen, chief sustainability officer with Oatly, joined Cheddar News to discuss her company's mission to deliver products that have a minimal environmental impact. "We want to make it easy for people to eat better and live healthier lives without recklessly taxing the planet's resources," she said.
'Plant Kween' Talks Low Maintenance Care for Budding Plant Parents
The first image of a black hole captured in 2019 is getting a makeover. Researchers on Thursday revealed an updated version, which they made using artificial intelligence.
