creating a huge cluster of space technology. the global value of the space technology. the global value of the space space technology. the global value of the space economy i value of the space economy somewhere in the region of $360 billion. to the uk it is 16 billion. to the uk it is 16 billion pounds every single year. uk airport normally year. uk airportnormally normally hosts passengers and private aircraft but is now home to spaceport cornwall. rockets will not launch from the ground here. private companies instead will take advantage of the runway which is one of the longest in britain and idealfor an britain and ideal for an innovative britain and idealfor an innovative method of satellite deployment via a rocket called launcher one, courtesy of a company called virgin orbit. this converted 7a7 carries a rocket underneath its wing which has nine microsatellites inside. the aircraft will take off and fly out over the atlantic and ascended to an altitude of 35,000 feet where
into spaceport cornwall, and melissa thorpe is running the show. well, it s been eight years ofjust really hard work. the blood, sweat and tears of the team. i really, truly think that at the end of the day, it will create something that the rest of the world will want to come and use. but it s a launch with a difference instead of taking off vertically from the ground, the rocket is hitching a ride on a jumbojet for a mid air blastoff. this is the rocket, it s called launcher one and final preparations for its launch are under way. after it detaches from the plane, it fires its own engines and begins its journey to space. release, release. copy. release, release. until now, the company behind the rocket, virgin 0rbit, has been carrying out these launches from california. the drop happens at 35,000 feet, but now they re going to try and do the same in the uk.
launcher one and final preparations for its launch are under way. after it detaches from the plane, it fires its own engines and begins its journey to space. release, release. copy. release, release. until now, the company behind the rocket, virgin orbit, has been carrying out these launches from california. the drop happens at 35,000 feet, but now they re going to try and do the same in the uk. it s been a huge team effort to get to this place. we are the guinea pig. it is the first time any of us have done this. so it s been quite a learning experience, and it s something that we re really proud of, but something we want to look at how do we make it more efficient going forward and share the lessons learned. but the uk s been here before. 50 years ago, britain saw the space sector as a big opportunity and started a programme called black arrow.
tears of the team. i really, truly think that at the end of the day, it will create something that the rest of the world will want to come and use. but it s a launch with a difference instead of taking off vertically from the ground, the rocket is hitching a ride on a jumbojet for a mid air blastoff. this is the rocket, it s called launcher one and final preparations for its launch are under way. after it detaches from the plane, it fires its own engines and begins its journey to space. release, release. copy. release, release. until now, the company behind the rocket, virgin orbit, has been carrying out these launches from california. the drop happens at 35,000 feet, but now they re going to try and do the same in the uk. it s been a huge team effort to get to this place. we are the guinea pig. it is the first time any of us have done this. so it s been quite a learning experience, and it s something that