UK regulator says it’s not to blame for Virgin Orbit mission delay • TechCrunch

Virgin Orbit is retargeting a start that was supposed to just take put as shortly as next week from Cornwall, England — and that was to be the 1st spaceflight to depart from British soil — thanks to further complex to-dos and remaining regulatory hurdles.

In a statement, Virgin Orbit CEO Dan Hart reported the enterprise would retarget start for “the coming months.” In addition to remaining specialized get the job done and superb start licenses, Hart explained the confined two-working day launch window also moved Virgin to hold off the mission. He did not elaborate on what complex function is essential for flight readiness.

Just a handful of several hours after the announcement broke, the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the regulatory body that licenses launch, produced its very own assertion to rebuke Virgin’s assert that remaining regulatory difficulties have been in portion the motive for the mission hold off.

“The United kingdom area regulation method is not a barrier to a British isles area launch,” Tim Johnson, CAA’s director for house regulation, stated. “Virgin Orbit has explained in its statement this morning that there are some technological difficulties that will have to have to be solved in advance of start. These in no way relate to the timing of when a licence will be issued by the Civil Aviation Authority.”

Virgin Orbit was thanks to launch from Spaceport Cornwall on December 14. LauncherOne, Virgin’s start technique, is composed of a Boeing 747 and a rocket. The aircraft carries the rocket to superior altitude before releasing it on its journey to room, so whilst this is not because of to be the 1st vertical launch from U.K. soil, it will be the initially spaceflight mission.

The news arrived as something of a surprise as late as Tuesday, Virgin representatives ended up telling the information media that the mission would be a “go” on regulatory acceptance.