Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rocket deployed 10 small satellites into the target orbit for NASA’s Launch Services Program as part of its second launch demonstration. The company’s carrier aircraft Cosmic Girl with the two-stage rocket lifted off from Mojave Air and Space Port in California on Sunday.
Read More »Virgin Orbit Resets Date for Second LauncherOne Rocket Flight
Virgin's orbit business has moved the date of its LauncherOne rocket's second orbital launch to Jan. 10 due to pandemic-related limitations, Space News reported Tuesday. The company originally planned to conduct the liftoff in mid-December 2020 but experienced personnel shortage because of precautionary measures for COVID-19 contact tracing.
Read More »Virgin Orbit Eyes December Flight for LauncherOne Rocket’s 2nd Mission
Virgin Orbit plans to conduct the second flight of its LauncherOne small rocket in late December as part of a mission to send NASA cube satellites to orbit, SpaceNews reported Friday.
Read More »Virgin Orbit’s Air-Launched Rocket to Carry 11 Small NASA Satellites
Virgin Orbit aims to help NASA bring 11 small satellites to space later this year as part of the second launch demonstration of an air-launched rocket.
Read More »Virgin Orbit Demos Rocket Launch From Carrier Aircraft
Virgin Orbit has demonstrated prelaunch and flight procedures for a rocket the company designed to help customers bring small satellites into orbit. LauncherOne's booster engine lighted on cue after the vehicle launched from a Cosmic Girl carrier aircraft during the initial demonstration off the California coast above the Pacific Ocean.
Read More »Air Force OKs VOX Space’s LauncherOne Rocket Missions From Andersen AFB in Guam
Virgin Orbit’s VOX Space business has received authorization to launch the company’s LauncherOne rocket from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam for orbital space missions.
Read More »VOX Space Gets USSF Smallsat Mission Launch Contract
Virgin Orbit’s VOX Space subsidiary has received a $35M contract under the U.S. Space Force’s Orbital Services Program-4 contract vehicle to launch three smallsat missions in support of a Department of Defense program.
Read More »Virgin Orbit Evaluates LauncherOne Orbital Test Flight Schedule
Virgin Orbit has started to assess the potential schedule for the initial orbital flight test of the LauncherOne rocket amid the coronavirus outbreak, SpaceNews reported Thursday.
Read More »Former NRO Deputy Director Susan Mashiko Joins VOX Space Board
Susan Mashiko, a retired U.S. Air Force major general and former deputy director at the National Reconnaissance Office. has joined the board of directors of Virgin Orbit's VOX Space subsidiary.
Read More »Virgin Orbit Partners With Israeli Firm to Offer Quick Satellite Launch Services
Virgin Orbit and ImageSat International, an Israel-based firm, have partnered to globally deliver fast-paced services in support of Earth observation imagery, TechCrunch reported Wednesday.
Read More »Virgin Orbit Eyes Early 2020 Launch Date for LauncherOne Vehicle
Virgin Orbit plans to conduct an orbital flight test for its LauncherOne rocket early this year ahead of subsequent regular flights if the test is successful, Space News reported Tuesday.
Read More »FAA Clears Virgin Orbit Rocket for Launch Test With Boeing Carrier Aircraft
Virgin Orbit has obtained authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration to test-fly the company’s rocket system through what the agency calls a reusable launch vehicle mission. FAA issued Friday a commercial space transportation license that says Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne platform can launch from a Boeing 747-400 carrier aircraft as part of the test slated to occur …
Read More »Reports: Virgin Orbit Lands DoD Contract to Demo Air Launch System
Virgin Orbit, the small satellite launch venture spun out of commercial space company Virgin Galactic, has secured a contract to demonstrate its air-launched rocket technology through the Defense Department‘s Space Test Program, TechCrunch reported Thursday. The report said Long Beach, California-based Virgin Orbit expects the LauncherOne prototype flight to take place as …
Read More »NASA Partners With 10 Firms to Advance Commercial Tech for Space Missions
NASA has entered collaborative partnerships with 10 private companies in a move to further space technologies built to grow the commercial space sector and support future space agency missions. The space agency said Friday its space technology mission directorate forged the alliances via the Announcement of Collaborative Opportunity solicitation that paves the way …
Read More »Boeing Vet Dan Hart to Head Virgin Group’s Small Satellite Launch Services Venture
Dan Hart, a 34-year veteran of Boeing and former vice president of its government satellite systems business, has been appointed president of Virgin Orbit — a small satellite launch services venture spun out of Virgin Group‘s commercial space company Virgin Galactic. Virgin Orbit is headquartered in Long Beach, California, and aims to help clients …
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