The UK counts down to its first ever orbital satellite launch

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Ioanna Lykiardopoulou

Ioanna is a writer at SHIFT. She likes the transition from old to modern, and she’s all about shifting perspectives. Ioanna is a writer at SHIFT. She likes the transition from old to modern, and she’s all about shifting perspectives.

The first ever orbital satellite launch from the UK — and Europe — is set for takeoff tonight (Monday, January 9). The so-called “Start Me UP” mission, led by US-based Virgin Orbit, will set out from Spaceport Cornwall at Newquay Airport at around 21: 15 UTC.

You can watch the launch via Virgin Orbit’s livestream below:

space</a> sector, marking the beginning of a domestic-based launch industry.</p> <p>“The development of new orbital launch capabilities is already generating growth, catalyzing investment, and creating jobs in Cornwall and other communities across the United Kingdom,” Ian Annett, Deputy CEO at the UK Space Agency, said in a <a href="https://virginorbit.com/the-latest/virgin-orbit-completes-final-successful-end-to-end-rehearsal-all-systems-currently-green-proceeding-toward-historic-u-k-launch/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">statement</a>.</p> <p>“I look forward to seeing more launches from other UK spaceports over the next year, putting us firmly on the map as Europe’s leading destination for commercial small satellite launch,” he added.</p> </p></div> <h3>Also tagged with</h3> <p></br> </main> </article> </p></div> </div> </div> </article> <nav class="navigation post-navigation" aria-label="Post navigation"> <span class="screen-reader-text">Post navigation</span> <div class="nav-links"><div class="nav-previous"><a title="French startup uses Hi-Fi speakers to develop eco-friendly heat pumps" href="https://theverysoon.com/french-startup-uses-hi-fi-speakers-to-develop-eco-friendly-heat-pumps/" rel="prev"><span class="ast-left-arrow">←</span> Previous Post</a></div><div class="nav-next"><a title="Intel Partners with Meta to Optimize Flagship Wi-Fi Card for Low Latency PC VR Gaming on Quest 2" href="https://theverysoon.com/intel-partners-with-meta-to-optimize-flagship-wi-fi-card-for-low-latency-pc-vr-gaming-on-quest-2/" rel="next">Next Post <span class="ast-right-arrow">→</span></a></div></div> </nav> </main> </div> </div>  </div> <footer class="site-footer" id="colophon" itemtype="https://schema.org/WPFooter" itemscope="itemscope" itemid="#colophon"> <div class="site-primary-footer-wrap ast-builder-grid-row-container site-footer-focus-item ast-builder-grid-row-full ast-builder-grid-row-tablet-full ast-builder-grid-row-mobile-full ast-footer-row-stack ast-footer-row-tablet-stack ast-footer-row-mobile-stack" data-section="section-primary-footer-builder"> <div class="ast-builder-grid-row-container-inner"> <div class="ast-builder-footer-grid-columns site-primary-footer-inner-wrap ast-builder-grid-row"> <div class="site-footer-primary-section-1 site-footer-section site-footer-section-1"> <div class="footer-widget-area widget-area site-footer-focus-item" data-section="section-footer-menu"> <div class="footer-bar-navigation"><nav class="site-navigation ast-flex-grow-1 navigation-accessibility footer-navigation" id="footer-site-navigation" aria-label="Site Navigation: Footer" itemtype="https://schema.org/SiteNavigationElement" itemscope="itemscope"><div class="footer-nav-wrap"><ul id="astra-footer-menu" class="ast-nav-menu ast-flex astra-footer-horizontal-menu astra-footer-tablet-vertical-menu astra-footer-mobile-vertical-menu"><li id="menu-item-44586" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-44586"><a href="https://theverysoon.com/advertising-disclosure/" class="menu-link">Ad Disclosure</a></li> <li id="menu-item-42787" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-42787"><a href="https://theverysoon.com/privacy/" class="menu-link">Privacy</a></li> <li id="menu-item-42788" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-42788"><a href="https://theverysoon.com/terms/" class="menu-link">Terms</a></li> <li id="menu-item-81259" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-81259"><a href="https://theverysoon.com/contact/" class="menu-link">Contact</a></li> </ul></div></nav></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="site-below-footer-wrap ast-builder-grid-row-container site-footer-focus-item ast-builder-grid-row-full ast-builder-grid-row-tablet-full ast-builder-grid-row-mobile-full ast-footer-row-stack ast-footer-row-tablet-stack ast-footer-row-mobile-stack" data-section="section-below-footer-builder"> <div class="ast-builder-grid-row-container-inner"> <div class="ast-builder-footer-grid-columns site-below-footer-inner-wrap ast-builder-grid-row"> <div class="site-footer-below-section-1 site-footer-section site-footer-section-1"> <div class="ast-builder-layout-element ast-flex site-footer-focus-item ast-footer-copyright" data-section="section-footer-builder"> <div class="ast-footer-copyright"><p>© 2025 Los Angeles Herald Examiner. 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