National Reconnaissance Office Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Release #04-22

Contact: 703-808-1198 | media@nro.mil May 10, 2022

NRO and UK’s Ministry of Defence Partner for Historic Launch in 2022

LONDON & CHANTILLY, Va. -- The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is 

partnering with the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence (UK MOD) on the historic 

first commercial rocket to be launched from the UK, as announced today at Defence 

Space 2022 by Defence Procurement Minister Jeremy Quin.

Virgin Orbit will send 9 multinational rideshares to orbit using the LauncherOne small 

launch platform and a modified Boeing 747 aircraft later in 2022. 

“Since its inception more than 60 years ago, NRO has been pushing the boundaries –

finding ever-more innovative ways to leverage space in order to secure and expand our 

intelligence advantage, and protect and defend the United States and our allies,” said 

NRO Director Dr. Chris Scolese. “It’s an honor to join the United Kingdom’s Ministry of 

Defence in announcing this historic enterprise. We look forward to this remarkable 

achievement as the foundation of an even stronger collaboration between our nations.”

This mission—launching UK MOD Defence Science and Technology Laboratory’s two 

Prometheus 2 CubeSats—is the latest example of increased UK and international space 

cooperation. Not only will this be the first launch from British soil, but it will also be the 

first commercial launch from Western Europe. Launching from the UK marks a 

continued expansion of NRO’s overseas launch locations in addition to New Zealand 

providing NRO with the ability to launch from three continents. 

“This is a great example of the power of international collaboration – a key tenet of our 

Defence Space Strategy,” said UK MOD Director Space Air Vice-Marshal Harv Smyth. 

“Prometheus 2 will deliver immense value to the UK MOD’s future space programme 

and, thanks to our partners in the National Reconnaissance Office, these highly-capable 

satellites will launch from UK soil this summer. I am hugely proud of what we have 

achieved together and this is just the beginning!”

LauncherOne expands NRO’s innovative launch capabilities as NRO’s first horizontal 

launch. A modified Boeing 747 aircraft, Cosmic Girl, with the LauncherOne rocket will 

take off from Spaceport Cornwall located at Newquay Airport in Cornwall, England. 

Additional information on launch timing will be made available from the UK Space 

Agency and UK Civil Aviation Authority. 
This launch demonstrates NRO’s latest innovative and streamlined contracting 

approaches while moving faster with both traditional industry and new entrants into the 

marketplace. This launch service was acquired from Virgin Orbit National Systems, 

Virgin Orbit’s U.S. subsidiary, as the first task order on the Streamlined Launch 

Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity Contract.

Additional information on upcoming launches will be made available at 

NRO.gov/launch. 

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NRO is the leader in developing, acquiring, launching, and operating the nation’s 

intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance satellites to secure and expand America’s 

advantage in space. We are building a diversified and resilient architecture of spacecraft 

and ground systems designed to meet the challenges of a changing space environment by 

accelerating innovation and leveraging strategic partnerships, backed by a diverse and 

highly skilled workforce. At NRO, we See It, Hear It, Sense It so our nation’s warfighters 

and policymakers have decision advantage amid increasing global competition. Learn 

more at NRO.gov.