Start Me Up team speak of “immense excitement” ahead of UK’s first rocket launch

A team leading the first rocket launch on UK soil have spoken of their “immense excitement” ahead of the launch tonight, 9 January.

Several satellites are due to be blasted into space from Spaceport Cornwall.

The mission, involving a repurposed Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 aircraft and Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rocket, is named after the Rolling Stones’ 1981 hit.

“Who would not be excited by the fact that this is the first time it’s been done in Europe?” UK Space Agency deputy CEO Ian Annett said.

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