spacetoday.net: UK Space Agency to fund spaceport improvements for Virgin Orbit

UK Space Agency to fund spaceport improvements for Virgin Orbit

Posted: Sun, Nov 10, 2019, 7:49 AM ET (1249 GMT)
Virgin Orbit LauncherOne drop test (Virgin Orbit)

The UK Space Agency will provide Â£7.35 million ($9.5 million) to fund improvements at a British airport that seeks to host Virgin Orbit launches. The funding is part of a package of nearly Â£20 million for infrastructure and other services at Cornwall Airport Newquay, also known as Spaceport Cornwall, for supporting flights of Virgin Orbit's air-launched system. Virgin Orbit said that, pending the status of those upgrades to the airport and regulatory approvals in both the United States and Britain, it could perform its first launches from Cornwall as soon as late 2021.