LauncherOne suffered an “anomaly” and failed to reach orbit after it was blasted into space during a historic launch from mainland Britain.
LauncherOne, carrying nine satellites deployed in low Earth orbit, is launched toward the stars from approximately 35,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean, carried into the sky by a modified jumbo jet called Cosmic Girl.
But shortly after, launch operator Virgin Orbit said: “We appear to have encountered an anomaly that prevents us from reaching orbit. We are evaluating this information.”
The ex-Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 took off from Spaceport Cornwall at Newquay Airport just after 10pm on Monday, to the cheers and applause of the 2,000 members of the public who were lucky enough to snag tickets.