The head of Virgin Orbit says that the company’s satellite launcher craft could take off from Spaceport Cornwall as soon as next year.

Dan Hart, CEO of Virgin Orbit, was in Cornwall on Tuesday (July 16)  to visit Newquay Airport where Spaceport Cornwall will be based.

Last month it was announced that Spaceport Cornwall was set to get a £20million funding boost to become the first horizontal launch site in Europe. The funding includes £12m from Cornwall Council and £7.85m from the UK Space Agency.

Virgin Orbit has signed an agreement to use Spaceport Cornwall for its horizontal small satellite launch system.

Mr said that he was in Cornwall “to do a bit of work and have a holiday” and said he thought the Duchy was “beautiful”.

And he revealed that Virgin Orbit’s Cosmic Girl aircraft and Launcher One satellite system could be using Cornwall’s runway by the end of 2020.

He said: “We are moving forward at a very exciting time for the programme. We had a big event last week where we had a flight test and a drop test that went beautifully.

“We are now having a rocket and final testing in the factory and we hope to have it out of the factory by the end of the month. We will then have an extended launch campaign to flight. It is a very exciting time and we can see the whole team recognising the fruits of their labour.”

Turning his attention to launches from Cornwall he said: “I would hope that by the end of next year or middle of 2021 we could be up and running here. There is still a bit of work that the UK Space Agency and Cornwall Council are working on to process that through.”

Mr Hart said that there would not be any need to provide any buildings for the use of Spaceport Cornwall and said that while there were some improvements needed to be made to the runway and apron to prepare it ready for launches there was not a lot that had to be done.

He said: “As long as there is a runway that can take a 747 we can operate at will.”

The Virgin Orbit boss said that everyone at the firm was excited about the possibilities which could be created due to Launcher One.

The satellite launch system is attached to a modified 747 plane which is able to then launch small satellites into space.

Mr Hart said: “Ever since a bunch of aerospace engineers launched from Cape Canaveral they have been wondering “how do we do this with an aircraft?”.

“We figured that out using an aircraft and what makes this so successful is that satellites have grown smaller. The capabilities, like your smartphone, let you do more from a smaller package.

“In the past they needed satellites that were the size of a school bus, we are now using satellites that are the size of a microwave.

“And the fact that our system is portable allows us to be able to operate from a place like Cornwall without building a huge infrastructure.”

Mr Hart’s enthusiasm for the Virgin Orbit project is clear, should the people of Cornwall be excited as well?

“It is inevitable that they will see it in the eyes of their children,” he said.

“I have been in this business my whole career and you see in places where space is happening, you see innovation, imagination, you see a spark from the companies in the area and the schools there.

“Kids grow up knowing that there is someone down the street who works in the space sector or in satellites – it’s not someone hundreds of miles away, it is someone right there.”

The announcement of Spaceport Cornwall has not been without its critics, with some questioning the environmental impact of launching small satellites from Newquay.

But for Mr Hart it is the opportunities that are offered by small satellite technology to assist with the environment and climate change which outweigh the harm.

“We understand our planet so much better because of satellites, we navigate to each others houses by being linked directly to satellites. By using this technology we are making ourselves more efficient which will actually help the environment.

“For me it is quite rewarding, having been in the business for a while, to see these developments take shape.

“The launches and the frequencies of those launches are not so frequent – if you look at the overall effect of having satellites in orbit, they will make us a more efficient species.

“One of the main reasons we are aware of global warming is due to satellites and spacecraft. We wouldn’t be in this discussion without space.”

The Virgin Orbit CEO said that many people take it for granted that every day activities, like using GPS, are only possible due to satellites.

He said: “We do take it for granted, when my kids were teenagers they were using the GPS on their phones but the idea that they were talking to multiple satellites at the time was not what they were concerned about.

“But I know that I am spending less time with my engine running in traffic because of GPS. This technology will help in other areas like that and make us more efficient.”