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Aussies could soon be travelling to Europe in 90 minutes

Aussies could soon be flying to Europe in 90 minutes. Source: Getty
Aussies could soon be flying to Europe in 90 minutes. Source: Getty

Aussies have long lamented the isolation of our country.

It can take anywhere between 20 and 40 hours of travel to reach central Europe, and longer to reach the UK or any Scandinavian countries.

But, that could soon be a thing of the past, with plans for a space-port that could allow human launches based in Cornwall, England, in the works.

An artist's impression of the new spaceport in Newquay, Cornwall. Source: The Telegraph
An artist's impression of the new spaceport in Newquay, Cornwall. Source: The Telegraph

According to the Telegraph, the UK Space Agency confirmed it was drawing up regulations to allow “sub-orbital human spaceflight”, with Virgin Galactic the most likely candidate to take tourists beyond Earth’s atmosphere.

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They said tourists in orbit could experience “weightlessness” and “see the curvature of the planet”.

Virgin Orbit would build the port, with funds contributed by the UK Space Agency and Cornwall Council, and there are talks of another port being built in the Scottish Highlands.

Unlike regular rocket launches which are vertical, Virgin Orbit would build the facilities would allow horizontal launches, meaning trips to the UK could take as little as 90 minutes.’

Britain's first astronaut, Tim Peake, told the Telegraph this would be a big step for the UK.

"For Britain to be the first spaceport in Europe to be able to offer that service because we have the legislation in place, because we've sorted out our infrastructure, that will be huge,” he said.

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