UK to Launch Satellites From Its Territory First Time This Summer

LONDON (Sputnik) - The UK will launch satellites from its territory for the first time this summer, the government said in a statement.

"The first satellite launch from the UK will take place this summer as Prometheus-2 takes off from Spaceport Cornwall in Newquay, the Defence Procurement Minister, Jeremy Quin has announced today," according to the statement.

The UK government said Prometheus-2, built by In-Space Missions Ltd, based in Hampshire, and designed with Airbus Defence and Space, is a collaboration between the UK Ministry of Defence and international partners, including the US National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).

"Two shoebox-sized satellites, ‘Cubesats’, will provide a test platform for monitoring radio signals including GPS and sophisticated imaging, paving the way for a more collaborative and connected space communication system with our allies," it said.

"Space technology is crucial for developing defence capabilities and the launch of Prometheus-2 represents another important step forward for our homegrown space program. This collaboration with In-Space Missions and Airbus paves the way for the UK to become a more resilient, more robust and more significant global space entity," Minister Quin said.

The UK government said the Cubesats will be carried on Virgin Orbit’s Launcher One rocket that takes off horizontally from a modified Boeing 747 jet, named Cosmic Girl.

"They will operate in low Earth Orbit, around 550km above the Earth and 50-100km apart at 17,000mph," it said.