The UK get its first space rocket launch.
Space Forge will send up a vessel - which contains a prototype space factory capable of making materials unable to be produced on Earth - from a spaceport in Newquay in Cornwall and hope that items manufactured in space could be ubiquitous in less than five years
Andrew Bacon, the company’s co-founder, told Sky News that the move could make the UK into a “true space superpower” with the means to develop and use cutting edge satellite technology.
He said: "Being able to launch from your home country is going to make a big difference.”
"If you want to build a reliable, sustainable supply chain based in space, you can't be flying to the other side of the world to source your materials when you want to make something.
"You want to launch and return here and use those products where they are needed."
Andrew believes that items manufactured in space could be ubiquitous in less than five years due to the low cost.
He said: "The price of launch has come down massively. Typically it used to cost $20,000 (£16,500) per kilogram. These days you can get as low as $1,000 (£830).
"There are materials out there worth way more. Nickel-based alloys used in aircraft turbines can cost $100,000 a kg. So the economics (of space manufacturing) start to work because the price of launch has come down so much."
The launch - the first out of California - is expected to happen on 8 September in collaboration with Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit and will contain up to 10 satellites, a mixture of commercial and military, on the ‘Cosmic Girl’ vessel.
Dan Hart, the Virgin Orbit CEO said: "We have recycled the airplane, so it's a critical part of our launch infrastructure.”
"It gives the rocket its first step, taking it to 35,000 feet, the better part of Mach 1 (almost the speed of sound), and two thirds of the way through the atmosphere before the rocket has to do any work at all."
