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Friday, March 29, 2024

Virgin Orbit: Rocket debris warning to boats off Irish coast

The marine notice was issued by the Department of Transport to all seafarers.


It also advised mariners to report any debris or pollution sightings which may result from any mishap during launch.


The jet will take about an hour to travel from Newquay Airport in Cornwall to the launch zone, according to the BBC’s science correspondent Jonathan Amos.
The rocket will then head in a southerly direction as it gains altitude.


“It will go past the coasts of Spain and Portugal,” he told the Good Morning Ulster programme.


“It’ll climb high into the sky and it will zoom around the Earth, past Antarctica, come up the other side and it will drop off those nine satellites high above the planet.”


The rocket’s cargo contains a “combination of satellites” both military and civilian, journalist and commentator Leo Enright told the same programme.


Mr Enright said Virgin Orbit’s mission required permission from the Irish government.


“They needed permission from the Irish of course because they’re launching out of Irish-controlled air space.


“But they also needed permission from the Portuguese because the rocket motor is going to fall into the Atlantic Ocean off Portugal.”


He added: “It’s going to be pretty exciting, pretty dramatic.”


However, the space enthusiast said he was worried that the weather might force the operation to be postponed.


“I’m looking right now at the weather charts for tonight and there is a big front – what a surprise – moving in,” Mr Enright said.


“They’ll just about get up and away before it arrives into what they call the race track – the box that they need to be in to launch this satellite – but don’t be too surprised if there is a delay.”


The marine warning has been put in place between 22:00 on Monday and 01:00 on Tuesday.

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