“There is now not a moment to lose” if the UK is to realise the full potential of its space launch sector, a Parliamentary committee has warned.
In a report published by the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee on Friday, a cross-party group of MPs criticised the UK’s “disjointed approach” to space policy.
The committee said the UK is on the cusp of establishing Europe’s first small satellite orbital launch capability, but the “insufficient coordination” among regulatory bodies is hampering launch potential.
Britain’s first attempt at satellite launch—the Virgin Orbit horizontal launch from Spaceport Cornwall at Newquay on Jan. 9, 2023—did not succeed. The LauncherOne rocket did not reach the required orbit and its payload of small satellites was lost….