Spaceport Cornwall has insisted it is only “at the beginning” of its journey, after key partner Virgin Orbit filed for bankruptcy.
Sir Richard Branson’s American satellite launch firm has failed to secure rescue funding, after announcing hundreds of job cuts - amounting to 85% of its workforce. It comes just months after the company attempted to shoot a rocket into orbit from the UK’s only licensed spaceport, located at Cornwall Airport Newquay, with the mission ultimately ending in failure.
Melissa Quinn, the head of the South West space cluster, said it would continue to work with global space and satellite businesses and open a new research facility this month. Ms Quinn said among the other launch operators the group was engaged with was Sierra Space - a subsidiary of US aerospace giant Sierra Nevada Corporation.
