Cosmic girl

[seabod91]

Quite shocked I have not seen any mention on the space launch in Cornwall. Can’t see it mentioned anywhere on PistonHeads. Cosmo girl is carrying it up and launching. Monday at around 10 ish cosmo is lifting off or so I have heard. Please anyone with info please post. I will be keeping an eye out.

[2 GKC]

Was at Newquay airport earlier to show the plane to my son. It’s being launched at 35,000 feet so I’m not sure there’ll be much to see apart from a 747 taking off

[Simpo Two]

Space stuff is in the Science forum: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&... - feel free to start a thread there.

[towser44]

2 GKC said:

Was at Newquay airport earlier to show the plane to my son. It’s being launched at 35,000 feet so I’m not sure there’ll be much to see apart from a 747 taking off

It's also being launched off the coast of Ireland, so nowhere near Newquay. I note they have been really strict re spectators too, with road closures etc near Newquay, ticket only to see the 747 depart and return etc

Some info here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-641...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-641...

[eharding]

2 GKC said:

Was at Newquay airport earlier to show the plane to my son. It’s being launched at 35,000 feet so I’m not sure there’ll be much to see apart from a 747 taking off

The launch is off the west coast of Ireland, so hopefully what you'd see is the 747 plus rocket taking off, and 747 minus rocket landing later on. Not quite the same as seeing a Saturn V taking off from St Mawgan, but I'd imagine that would cause a bit of a kerfuffle even as far as St Stephen or St Dennis, and maybe the odd noise complaint or two from Grampound Road as well (my grandparents lived in St Stephen, and I remember sitting in the front room watching the Nimrods flying over on what must have been part of an arrival or departure procedure - and then in I'd guess 82 or 83 in the CCF have an air experience flight on a Nimrod "Tapestry" sortie from there).

Anyway, if it ever happens, the proposed launches from the north of Scotland might be more of an event for spectators - but the launch from Newquay is still something to be pleased about.

[Simpo Two]

Ah well never mind. Any idea what the engine 'anomaly' was?

And did they really need something the size of a 747 to lift it?

[NNH]

Simpo Two said:

Ah well never mind. Any idea what the engine 'anomaly' was?

And did they really need something the size of a 747 to lift it?

They upgraded the rocket from its original design, which made it too big for the White Knight launch platform. 747s have a structural support to let them ferry a 5th engine on the left wing, and Virgin Orbital was able to lay its hands on a spare 747 from Virgin Atlantic, so I guess it was cheaper to go with aircraft overkill than to build something bespoke.

Now I think about it, Virgin Orbital operates from Cornwall and California, so it probably saves time and money to have a launch aircraft that can make the journey non-stop.

[Cold]

Simpo Two said:

Space stuff is in the Science forum: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&... - feel free to start a thread there.

The actual thread has been running since November 2018. I wonder how shocked the OP will be about that.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[seabod91]

Cold said:

Simpo Two said:

Space stuff is in the Science forum: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&... - feel free to start a thread there.

The actual thread has been running since November 2018. I wonder how shocked the OP will be about that.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Oops. I didn’t look hard enough.