The commercial race to space has just gotten a little more crowded. Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit, sister company of Virgin Galactic, successfully launched a rocket into orbit for the first time. It also managed to successfully deliver cargo for a customer, NASA, and unload a number of nanosatellites sponsored by the agency.
On Sunday, Virgin Orbit performed its second test flight of his LauncherOne rocket, which is launched into space using an unconventional launch system. Ia place of upliftment from a launch on the ground, the rocket is carried below the wing of a custom Boeing 747, Called ‘Cosmic Girl’, and released at a predetermined location. As soon as it is released, the rocket ignites and forces it to spin. This is exactly what happened on Sunday.
As explained by the edge, by launching the rocket from an airplane, Virgin Orbit’s launch system does not require as large a rocket or as much fuel. This is good from a financial perspective, as it helps to increase costswn. In addition, the outlet notes that the business maintains that his system is potentially smoother than others, as it could theoretically launch satellites from anywhere a 737 could take off and land.
“Virgin Orbit has achieved something that was thought very impossible,” Branson said in a statement Sunday. ‘It was so inspiring to see our specially adapted Virgin Atlantic 747, Cosmic Girl, launch the LauncherOne rocket into orbit. This magnificent flight is the culmination of many years of hard work and will also unleash a whole new generation of innovators on the runway to a runway. ”
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The successful launch was a redemption for Virgin Orbit, which failed to reach its first orbit test flight in May last year. The company later said a problem with a propellant line that broke seconds after the rocket engine lit, was behind the failure.
Unlike Virgin Galactic, which set its sights on space tourism, Virgin Orbit is about launching small satellites.
LauncherOne carried 10 nanosatellites, called CubeSats, which is part of the NASA Initiative for Educational Launch of Nanon Satellites. The program is designed to attract and retain students in STEM, for NASA, and students are involved in all aspects of the mission, from development and composition to the test and launch.
They are called nanosatellites for a reason. CubeSats are designed to be 10x10x10 cm or about four inches in blocks, explains the agency. Although they consist of units that should weigh less than 1.33 kilograms, it can also be combined to make two, three or six units. The CubeSats carried by LauncherOne were created by eight US universities as well as NASA itself. The satellites will work on investigates topics such as space weather, space radiation and space debris, among others.
Virgin Orbit said a number of customers have already been booked for subsequent launches, including the US Space Force, UK‘s Royal Force, Italian private space company SITAEL, and among others the Danish satellite manufacturer GomSpace.