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.
Investor Brief
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.
Ownership
Parent Entity
Regulatory Regime
Latitude Advantage
Launch Azimuth Range
Country
🇬🇧United Kingdom
Region
Europe
Established
2,021
Launches / Year
1
Years Active
5
Strategic Position
50.4406° N, 5.0008° W
Azimuth: Carrier-aircraft drop; effective launch azimuth set by 747/spaceplane release point over Atlantic
50.4 deg N — only viable for low-inclination/equatorial drop launches; horizontal carrier-aircraft model decouples site latitude from orbit selection
Future Milestones
- 2027
Potential Sierra Space Dream Chaser landing campaign feasibility complete
- 2028
First post-Virgin-Orbit horizontal launch attempt (operator TBD)
About
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.
Key Features
UK's first horizontal-launch spaceport facility
Long runway at Cornwall Airport Newquay supports carrier aircraft operations
Hosted Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne mission — first UK orbital launch attempt
Growing cluster of space industry companies and support services
Clear launch trajectories westward over the Atlantic Ocean
Rockets That Launch Here
Companies Operating Here
Orbit Types
Notable Launches
Virgin Orbit 'Start Me Up' (9 January 2023) — First orbital launch attempt from UK soil; mission failed due to second-stage anomaly
Operator Virgin Orbit filed Chapter 11 in April 2023; assets liquidated
Site pivoting toward horizontal spaceplane and suborbital tourism providers