Giant-Leap.Space UK Space Industry

First UK launch is on!

Launch window opens Monday 9 January. ✈️🛰️

The LauncherOne rocket is now attached to Virgin Orbit's Cosmic Girl plane in Cornwall. Rehearsal tests were successfully completed yesterday, giving the green light for launch. ✈️🟢

This will be the first orbital launch from the UK, and the first commercial launch from Europe! 🚀

Read more about the first launch 👉 https://lnkd.in/euqksYav

And about the mission preparations 👉 https://lnkd.in/eiRBXsuw

| | Virgin Orbit | Spaceport Cornwall

Skyrora reveal the crash of their test vehicle, a Skylark-L model rocket built in Scotland and designed to reach space, was caused by a software glitch.

Skyrora recently conducted the first test launch of our suborbital Skylark L vehicle from the northeast of Iceland. After leaving the launch pad, an anomaly cut the vehicle’s maiden flight short, and it landed safely in the Norwegian Sea approximately 500 metres away from the launch site.

Following a thorough investigation into the root cause by our team of specialists, it was concluded that all mechanical systems aboard the vehicle were nominal, and that the anomaly was ultimately caused by a software complication.

The team will use the valuable data collected through the test launch to resolve this issue ahead of future launches. We would like to thank our local partners for their assistance in the recovery operations.

Stay tuned for the release of an extended video covering the Skylark L launch next week, which features interviews with our team, Icelandic stakeholders, and Langanes locals.

With stiff competition the UK has delivered on talent in all three of the categories of Career Astronaut, Parastronaut and Reserve Astronaut!

Rosemary Coogan, John McFall and Meganne Christian occupy 3 of the 17 spots available in this latest astronaut recruitment race.

The UK was the only country to provide 3 successful candidates with France, Germany Italy and Spain all providing 2 top candidates at the finishing post to the pan-european competition.

What does the failure of Skyrora 's Sub-orbital rocket to make Space mean?

Whilst it is too early to tell what the problem was, the problem was certainly early, representing the second time in as many attempts that boats have been deployed from the Icelandic shores in at attempt to recover the ever-increasingly complex vehicles the company has manufactured.

There remains extreme optimism ahead of the Skyrora XL, their orbital grade rocket which is due to carry any number of interesting payloads to space - not least their space tug, which is slated to help transform the sustainability credentials of operations in Low Earth Orbit!

But would it be remiss of us not to question whether the company is so busy failing forward, they're brushing off failure as a veiled form of success? Perhaps. No doubt they will point to the crushing early challenges faced by the now staggeringly successful SpaceX, but actual comparison here is tricky. Remember, SpaceX's Falcon 1 was a bigger and crucially more complex rocket than any Skyrora have attempted yet to fly. So we're experience difficulty early in the game. That being said: The road to space is littered with people who got their risk calculations wrong, and a couple of launches lasting only seconds could easily be a couple of stepping stones to success that Skyrora have built into their planned resilience, whilst they take away key lessons from each experience.

All round, the company continues to impress with engineering and operations maturing rapidly, and I continue to watch them with huge interest and excitement.

Here's a preflight video showing the surprisingly light infrastructure requirements for the mobile launcher, which expects to witness success to orbit, from UK soil, next year.

Skylark L Launch Attempt On 8th October, 2022, the Skyrora team attempted to launch our suborbital Skylark L vehicle into space from the Langanes Peninsula in Iceland.The vehicle lef...

Often people ask how to break into the Space industry.

The stratosphere is a tried and tested method.

Airbus Defence and Space are recruiting crew for their Stratospheric UAV

Sign Up | LinkedIn 500 million+ members | Manage your professional identity. Build and engage with your professional network. Access knowledge, insights and opportunities.

Airbus Defence and Space based here in the United Kingdom, allowed a next generation, autonomous rover out of the hangar today, to roam free across a local quarry.

The Field Trial Rover System can autonomously explore a terrain without any human intervention.

and thus vicariously European Space Agency - ESA took bold steps this week to prove the currently descoped brains behind the sample return mission to Mars.

Don't be fooled though - this is the same sort of autonomy which could reduce future space-walks with small autonomous robots, and even in more dynamic environments.

There are terrestrial applications too, such as improving the performance of autonomous submarines operating close to the ocean floor, or help to cover navigation on land-based vehicles that may not be able to rely on GPS at times.

Airbus are taking big steps in the field here, and it won't be long until the obstacles this code is avoiding are not rocks and slopes, but more conceptual obstacles too.

With World Space Week upon us, RAL Space demonstrate the powerful intelligence assets available to UK industry from Space.

Near live data like this, integrated into a wider model could transform the understanding of businesses of the context for decision-making in ways nobody outside of government has been big enough to invest in before.

Next big thing will be integrating data sets like this one, live, with the insights for sale.

It doesn't take government to innovate on this tech any more.

Hardware teams need to carefully select sensors and communications equipment to place usefully in Orbit.

Software teams need to convert the data to value.

Both are shifting the paradigm in the UK Space industry right now. Did we mention 2023 is going to be a big year?

opens Britain's largest Rocket engine factory this week, as they prepare for launch on their orbital rocket, from Scottish soil, later this summer.

Do you know what that is?... It's the full scale rocket, on her launch pad! She's undergoing testing to trailblaze for this model of rocket to fly payloads as soon as this summer to Low Earth Orbit!


Image credit: Orbex Space

Credit:
Yes, this is a real photo of the back shell and parachute on Mars. Because as if drone footage wasn't mind blowing enough on our own planet!

have requested a license from their long-standing friends on the Icelandic government. This is because they are ready to launch . This Liquid fuelled rocket, uses , made from recycled plastics, is their first attempt to launch such a complex vehicle, after the mixed successes of , a sounding rocket and younger brother test model.

The team has learnt a lot from that flight, and it's fair to say that a mixed result once, doesn't mean the company can't or won't pull it out the bag. The obvious established rocket company analogues of or spring straight to mind.

Disabled applicants could win a parabolic research flight! amazing and exciting opportunity!

The website doesn't add too much detail, so I'll just leave the link for you to consider:
https://astroaccess.org/apply-now/

have received their first order for a Defence satellite build.

The UK Company will construct the satellites over 3 years, based on their + platform.

have announced the opening of one of the largest vertical launch liquid rocket propulsion test stands in the UK!

The stand will support the further development and testing of their orbital class rocket, the Skyrora-XL, which uses engines tested at 70kN of force. The stand, in Midlothian, Scotland is rated for up to 100kN.

This momentous news is offset by concern for the company's many engineering team members living and working in Ukraine.

Their CEO is Volodymyr Levykin, who released this statement: "Britain is another step closer to unlocking its launch capacity and potential to play a bigger role in the space economy. We would usually have the entire Skyrora family here to celebrate such an achievement, but unfortunately, our Ukrainian colleagues can’t be with us. Without them, this feat of engineering wouldn’t have been possible and I’m sure that we’ll be able to celebrate with them again very soon."







Find out more:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/giant-leap-space_skyrora-skyroraxl-launchuk-activity-6909487625661759488-XlQS?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=android_app

UKs largest propulsion test stand for vertical launch rockets is official open!

Skyrora opens the UK’s largest rocket engine testing facility to take the lead in the British orbital launch race | Skyrora UK rocket company Skyrora opens the UK's largest rocket engine test facility in Scotland to become the first British company to launch into orbit.

Have you checked out the newly re-launched Skyrora website?

https://skyrora.com

It's an Awesome site! Our only feedback? Maybe select a square picture for the thumbnail?

First planned for within months!

Skyrora - NewSpace rocket company from the UK Skyrora Limited are a UK company, producing technology inspired by BLACK ARROW. We aim to reduce the cost of space launches.

just launched their awesome new website!

Learn more about the rebranded rocket which will carry to , and much more about this leading and innovative UK company!

www.skyrora.com

A strap under tension has released unexpectedly from James Webb during integration with its Ariane rocket. See the full story, with possible input incoming from a James Webb mechanical engineer as this story breaks:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/giant-leap-space_update-on-webb-telescope-launch-activity-6869165396692480000-5_Ye

Astroscale have unveiled their new docking plate. See the deep dive article now, totally free! (Don't worry about the thumbnail which says 'join'.

Astroscale Announce Docking Plate for Satellite De-orbit | Giant-Leap.Space on Patreon Official Post from Giant-Leap.Space

seeks artists, educators and space communicators to compete for top spot as a supporter of .

Make sure you add to your posts this coming month so they can find you!

Remember, you must be communicating about European space work in any creative way. Public speaking, teaching, blogging and space news reporting could all be in with a chance. OK... I'm not sure about the last one, but is giving it a shot! How else will we secure a chat with an ESA , get our own space flown or more goodies?

You could too! Be sure to tag us in your content so we know you're participating!

Are you an , or communicator?

Add to your social media posts which showcase European Space activity for a chance to be selected as a top enthusiast for our space industry here in Europe!

Remember, much as we all love Tim Dodd or Scott Manley, you have to focus on European (including UK) space activities, so there's plenty of opportunity to highlight the best of innovation, exploration and inspiration in your own neighborhood.

Tag GiantLeap in your post, across all platforms so I know you're in it to win it!

I'd love to be selected, would you?!

Prizes include an awesome chat with an ESA - European Space Agency , and real mission patch, which has flown to space (one of the best possible prizes!) and more!

Time is running out to win Free Space Merch!

Join patreon.com/GiantLeap for at least 1 month for a chance to win, and support the UK Space Industry!

Giant-Leap.Space on Twitter “Time is running out to take part in our merch give-away competition!! Come join us on https://t.co/ThvyW6Cunu for a chance to win free goodies! ”

50 years ago this Thursday, the UK became the 6th spacefsringr, orbit capable nation. launched from Australia to deliver to orbit. Learn all about it via the

https://www.bis-space.com/event/black-arrow-prospero-science-museum/

Don't miss our latest Weekly Space News Roundup! Out now!

https://youtu.be/M3SzwGTy7hs

LATEST Space News Roundup In Today’s Episode:In-Space Missions Limited launch a game-changing ride-sharing option;Lockheed Martin and Nanoracks join Voyager Space in Joint Venture for...

The 50th anniversary of the UK placing the Prospero Satellite into orbit is around the corner. On 28th October it will be 50 years since the UK became the 6th nation to be capable of designing, building and flying their own satellites to Low Earth Orbit.

Now, the UK is about to move back up to that milestone as a number of companies prepare to fly in 2022 - only this time... It'll be from UK soil.

🚀 | Join the BIS for a very special day of presentations and Q&As in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the launch of and

Register now 👇
https://www.bis-space.com/event/prospero-black-arrow/

sponsored our Weekly Roundup this week, as they topped 50% in orbit!

Check it out, and of course the rest of the UK Space News now!
https://youtu.be/iVA-ctMXP1s

feature with their agreement with with comment from both Paul Bate of . Also in the news with awesome testing progress, Venture park, .orbit, and Ben Jarvis


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balloon with commercial payload descends under parachute after a successful to high altitude from northern Spain.

We're back! UK Space News summary now live!

LATEST Space News Roundup | We're Back! In Today’s Episode:Orbital Astronautics sign mission agreement to provide 6U cubesat for Aistech granting GiantLeap an exclusive interview;The UK Government ...