The UKsspacesector is searching for positives after the first orbitallaunchfrom westernEuropeended in failure.
The mission appeared to have started smoothly.
At around 22:00 GMT on Monday, theBoeing 747 carryingVirgin Orbits LauncherOne rocket successfullytook-off in southwest England.
The jet then climbed around 35,000ft before releasing the rocket over the Atlantic Ocean.
But then, disaster struck.
We appear to have an anomaly that has prevented us from reaching orbit.
We are evaluating the information, Virgin Orbit announced on Twitter.
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The US company soon provided further details.
We will come back stronger.
Its a blow, but its not a crippling blow, Febrve told TNW.
That capability has firm foundations.
There are several compelling reasons to harness these strengths.
Another motive has been brutally highlighted by Russias war in Ukraine.
The UK has pitched itself as the ideal provider of these spaceports.
This particular vehicle was carrying satellites from seven different providers, all doing different things.
They were really handcrafted in terms of their purpose, said Febvre.
Were really focused on responsive launch andinnovation not the scale-up aspect.
We remain committed to becoming Europes leading provider.
The attempt will also enhance domestic expertise, regulation, and capabilities.
As the satellites were insured, their manufacturers and operators will be compensated for their loss.
A bigger issue will be the reputational damage.
Setbacks in space are not unusual, but they still spook investors.
Virgin Orbit now has to convince the critics that the failure wont be repeated.
The UK, meanwhile, is already planning another launch within the next 12 months.
Story byThomas Macaulay
Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he e(show all)Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse).
