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Original poster

Space Launch (from Cornwall)

81 replies

PuttingDownRoots · 09/01/2023 21:25

Currently watching the lifestream on YouTube...

Europe's First Orbital launch of satellites.

Anyone else?

(Its Virgin Orbit on YouTube, expected take off at 10pm)

OP posts:
Phrenologistsfinger · 10/01/2023 00:06

We tried to see it but was too cloudy. Been following the livestream but the music is too annoying now.

GetOffMyDoorJack · 10/01/2023 00:07

What happens to the rocket now? Will it crash back to earth?

Paq · 10/01/2023 00:12

GetOffMyDoorJack · 10/01/2023 00:07

What happens to the rocket now? Will it crash back to earth?

The plan is always for the rocket to end up in the sea where it's then recovered.

GetOffMyDoorJack · 10/01/2023 00:18

Paq · 10/01/2023 00:12

The plan is always for the rocket to end up in the sea where it's then recovered.

Show quote history

Good point @Paq I hadn't thought of that 😂

sawthewholeofthemoon · 10/01/2023 00:26

Oh no!

mistopheles · 10/01/2023 07:31

Talking about it over breakfast and am stunned that neither of my children heard about the launch in school yesterday. Y6 and Y9. They were fascinated to hear about it this morning from me - felt most clever and interesting! Thanks OP!

Original poster
PuttingDownRoots · 10/01/2023 07:37

I hope they try again soon!

OP posts:
TiredandLate · 10/01/2023 07:43

I heard a bit about this on the news yesterday but nothing about being able to watch/listen live, or I would have. How disappointing for them.

LiveRightNow · 10/01/2023 07:56

So sad it failed. They've said on the news this morning they are hoping another launch within 12months "we get back up, we try again, that's what defines us" (Deputy CEO UK space agency)

lightand · 10/01/2023 07:58

mistopheles · 10/01/2023 07:31

Talking about it over breakfast and am stunned that neither of my children heard about the launch in school yesterday. Y6 and Y9. They were fascinated to hear about it this morning from me - felt most clever and interesting! Thanks OP!

You would likely have heard if it had launched around London somewhere.

mistopheles · 10/01/2023 08:52

Maybe. It's infuriating- this should be HUGE news! Great to hear that they are trying again soon.

sawthewholeofthemoon · 10/01/2023 09:09

@lightand I'm a science teacher and I made a huge deal of it to all my classes yesterday. Trying to find a positive spin for today!

sawthewholeofthemoon · 10/01/2023 09:11

And I also showed DD the plane taking off and had lots of chat about it but didn't let her stay up to see the rocket failing... thankfully.

Choconut · 10/01/2023 09:47

I thought the BBC headline was a bit miserable 'Historic Cornwall rocket launch end's in failure'. Surely they could have just said 'suffers an anomaly' or 'unable to release satellites'. It's all semantics I know, maybe it's just the teacher in me wanting to reframe it more positively.

eveoha · 10/01/2023 10:13

What a complete waste of time effort and £sd - esp in current times 👍🏿☘️

Original poster
PuttingDownRoots · 10/01/2023 10:23

eveoha · 10/01/2023 10:13

What a complete waste of time effort and £sd - esp in current times 👍🏿☘️

I do hope you aren't using anything that relies on a satellite like GPS or the weather forecast if you dislike them so much.

OP posts:
JoonT · 10/01/2023 10:45

Choconut · 10/01/2023 09:47

I thought the BBC headline was a bit miserable 'Historic Cornwall rocket launch end's in failure'. Surely they could have just said 'suffers an anomaly' or 'unable to release satellites'. It's all semantics I know, maybe it's just the teacher in me wanting to reframe it more positively.

Hardly surprising. The BBC is full of people who hate Britain and love it when Britain fails. I know for sure that there will be numerous people, especially on the liberal-left, who will be delighted. Anything that humiliates Britain makes them happy.

I'll never forget reading an interview with a British comedian (very left-wing) who said "this country needs to lose a war." I have never forgotten that. Had he said "I'm a pacifist, and I oppose all war," that would be something I could respect. But this country needs to lose a war!? That's the sort of mentality you are up against.

I'm not 'right-wing' in the slightest btw (at the last election I voted Green), but I am sick to death of the sneering 'woke' left.

Paq · 10/01/2023 12:19

Choconut · 10/01/2023 09:47

I thought the BBC headline was a bit miserable 'Historic Cornwall rocket launch end's in failure'. Surely they could have just said 'suffers an anomaly' or 'unable to release satellites'. It's all semantics I know, maybe it's just the teacher in me wanting to reframe it more positively.

It was a mission failure though. We shouldn't be afraid of trying and failing. This is hard. It's literally rocket science. We shouldn't shy away from failure or teach children it's something to be ashamed of.

H2bow · 10/01/2023 12:23

It's a shame as a huge part of the reason for the launch was to build heritage in the space sector here and to encourage more investment, this is a bit of a step back. The positive of course is that many smaller and budding individuals and companies have benefited from grants attached to it, hopefully they re-run the tender and a British company can have a go rather than Virgin again though.

TightFistedWozerk · 10/01/2023 13:00

It is a shame, I hope the project continues. The idea (theory?) is sound, imo (not a scientist).

Original poster
PuttingDownRoots · 10/01/2023 13:05

TightFistedWozerk · 10/01/2023 13:00

It is a shame, I hope the project continues. The idea (theory?) is sound, imo (not a scientist).

Its not Virgin Orbits first launch, it has worked before.

OP posts:
cakeorwine · 10/01/2023 13:07

I always wonder about rockets splashing into the sea. When you see the big space launches, the booster rockets and the big rockets do come back down to Earth.

I hope boats are told to stay clear. That could really ruin your day

FixTheBone · 10/01/2023 13:12

eveoha · 10/01/2023 10:13

What a complete waste of time effort and £sd - esp in current times 👍🏿☘️

These comments wind me up.

You do realise that they don't literally shoot a rocket full of money into space? And that it's spent on people and services, that then buy things here on Earth?

cakeorwine · 10/01/2023 13:20

I think it's quite amazing to think of the number of satellites orbiting Earth and the distance some of them are. 36,000 km from Earth

TheABC · 10/01/2023 13:39

I saw on Sky that they are planning another launch within 12 months. It's disappointing but we proved that you can send satellites into space from a normal airport. That in itself is mind boggling.