A regional Queensland airport is set to become the third Virgin Orbit site in the world to launch satellites into space within the next two years.
Wagner Corporation, which owns the Wellcamp Airport in Toowoomba, and Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit announced they had signed an agreement to certify the airport as a national spaceport to launch rockets into space from Boeing 747 aircraft by 2024.
Wagner Corporation chairman John Wagner, who owns the Wellcamp Airport, told ABC Radio Brisbane the project was "very exciting" and fitted in with the strategy for developing the Wellcamp aerospace defence precinct.
"I'd have to say the state government have been very proactive with this, they've been a great help to bring ourselves and Virgin together to make this a reality," he said.
"It further cements our position around the world … this is a global development as an aerospace defence precinct."
Mr Wagner said it would be a game changer for the whole aerospace industry in Queensland.
"We're very excited to be part of it," he said.
Time for testing
Mr Wagner said the companies were aiming for the test launch to happen in 18 months.
He said the next step was to ensure that all the approvals and regulations were in place to allow the rockets and satellites to be assembled at Wellcamp, attached to aircraft and launched from over the Pacific Ocean at about 35,000 feet.
"Virgin are very professional, they've got two other space bases, one in the Mojave Desert and one in Cornwall in the UK, so they certainly know what they're doing and are very successful in this market," he said.
Virgin Orbit chief executive Dan Hart said the company was thrilled to be working alongside the Wagner Corporation to bring the first national orbital launch to Australia.
"Combining their deep knowledge of infrastructure development and affinity for aerospace with our proven, responsive LauncherOne system, we have all the ingredients to bring spaceflight to Queensland," he said.
