Spaceport Cornwall awarded licence to host UK’s first space launch

Civil Aviation Authority gives regulatory approval for Newquay site to send satellites into space

The prospect of a historic" space mission being launched from the far south-west of Britain before Christmas has taken a giant leap forward after an operating licence was granted to Spaceport Cornwall.

There had been growing concern at the time it was taking for the issuing of licences that would allow the first launch of satellites from UK soil, but on Wednesday morning, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced that the site in Newquay could be used for sending satellites into space.