Spaceport Cornwall / Cornwall Council · Newquay, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom
Launch Pads
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Annual Launches
0-1
Max Payload (LEO)
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Established
2021
Newquay Spaceport (Spaceport Cornwall) at Cornwall Airport Newquay is the UK's first horizontal-launch spaceport. It was the site of the first orbital launch attempt from UK soil when Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne flew from a Boeing 747 carrier aircraft in January 2023. The facility continues to develop as a hub for horizontal launch operations and space-related businesses despite Virgin Orbit's subsequent bankruptcy.
| Region | Europe |
| Country | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 50.4406° N, -5.0008° E |
| Ownership | Public–Private |
| Parent Entity | Cornwall Council + UK Space Agency (funded via Department for Business & Trade) |
| Regulatory Regime | UK CAA under the Space Industry Act 2018; horizontal-launch range license (2022) |
| Latitude Advantage | 50.4 deg N — only viable for low-inclination/equatorial drop launches; horizontal carrier-aircraft model decouples site latitude from orbit selection |
| Azimuth Range | Carrier-aircraft drop; effective launch azimuth set by 747/spaceplane release point over Atlantic |
| Website | https://spaceportcornwall.com |
Active Users
Strategic Value
Pivot risk: original anchor tenant (Virgin Orbit) collapsed in 2023. Current value proposition rests on attracting horizontal spaceplane operators (Sierra Space Dream Chaser, suborbital tourism); commercial viability remains unproven.
Recent Activity
Sierra Space and Spaceport Cornwall signed MOU in 2024 to study Dream Chaser landings at Newquay; no orbital launches conducted since Virgin Orbit's 2023 failure.
2027
Potential Sierra Space Dream Chaser landing campaign feasibility complete
2028
First post-Virgin-Orbit horizontal launch attempt (operator TBD)