A Lichfield director will see his new documentary blast on to Channel 4 on Bank Holiday Monday.
A Very British Space Launch tells the inside story of the attempt by Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit to launch a rocket into orbit from UK soil.
Director Keaton Stone – who has previously worked on the likes of Stargazing Live, The One Show and The World’s Greatest Railway Journeys – said the Cornick Productions team had worked for six months to chart the trials and tribulations of the mission.
“They say ‘space is hard’ and I hope that through watching this film, people can see just how hard.
“It was a privilege to spend many months in Newquay alongside the wonderful people at Spaceport Cornwall and the incredible US engineers on the ground at Virgin Orbit.
“Although the launch was ultimately unsuccessful, it did demonstrate that the UK has the infrastructure and capability required to ensure further launches can take place – and in that respect, it was a huge step forward for the UK’s space ambitions.
“On a personal note, it is encouraging to see that a documentary of this historic event was produced by a Midlands team, and I hope it brings further grand opportunities to this traditionally overlooked region.”
Keaton Stone
The one hour documentary will air on Monday (28th August) at 10pm.
Channel 4’s science and adventure commissioner, Jonah Weston, said:
“Even though the Virgin Orbit launch was ultimately unsuccessful this documentary shows some of the incredible people involved in the industry and the complex challenges they face putting British engineering into space.”
Jonah Weston