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 »Space Industry Vet Jim Simpson Named Virgin Orbit Chief Strategy Officer
Jim Simpson, a board member at Virgin Orbit since May 2019, has been named chief strategy officer of the small satellite launch services provider. Virgin Orbit said Monday Simpson's space industry career will help the company stay focused on addressing customer requirements in the government and commercial launch sectors.
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 »DARPA to Sponsor Payload Delivery Activities Under ‘Launch Challenge’ Initiative
An undisclosed space firm is slated to conduct two launch campaigns as part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Launch Challenge aimed at delivering payloads to low-Earth orbit.
Read More »NASA, Virgin Orbit Collaborate to Create, Test 3D-Printed Combustion Chamber
NASA collaborated with small-satellite launch services provider Virgin Orbit to produce a rocket combustion chamber using the additive manufacturing method.
Read More »Three Firms Selected to Participate in DARPA Launch Challenge
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has selected Vector Launch, Virgin Orbit subsidiary VOX Space and one unnamed company to compete for a program designed to give the U.S. military new technologies to launch small payloads into orbit.
Read More »