Virgin Orbit, from Richard Branson, with a rocket under the wing of a modified Boeing 747, takes off for a key crash test of its high-altitude launch system for satellites in Mojave, California, July 10, 2019.
Mike Blake | Reuters
Virgin Orbit, the missile company founded by billionaire Richard Branson, successfully launched its first satellites into space using its new air launch system.
The California-based company said 10 mini-satellites were carried into space by the same rocket, which was launched from the wing of an old Boeing 747 jumbo jet while flying over the Pacific Ocean.
The plane, nicknamed Cosmic Girl, took off from Mojave Air and Space Port on Sunday at approximately 10:50 am PST. Nearly 60 minutes later, he launched the LauncherOne missile about 50 miles south of the California Channel Islands at an altitude of 35,000 feet.
After release, the rocket engine ignited, accelerating LauncherOne into space. About two hours later, at an altitude of 500 km, it launched 10 shoe-sized satellites, which were developed by universities and selected by NASA. The satellites will be used for space research purposes.
“A new gateway to space has just opened,” Virgin Orbit CEO Dan Hart said in a statement. “That LauncherOne has successfully reached orbit today is a testament to the talent, accuracy, drive and ingenuity of this team.”
The successful launch comes after Virgin Orbit tried and failed to launch a rocket in May last year. The company diagnosed the failure of a high-pressure fuel line in the engine, which led to the closure of the rocket shortly after launch.
“Virgin Orbit has accomplished something that many thought was impossible. It was so inspiring to see the specially adapted Virgin Atlantic 747, Cosmic Girl, sending the LauncherOne rocket into orbit,” Branson said in a statement.
“This magnificent flight is the culmination of many years of hard work and will also unleash a new generation of innovators on the road to orbit.”
The Virgin Orbit launch technique means that the company can theoretically launch short-range missiles from almost anywhere on Earth. It plans to launch 747 missiles from Cornwall, England, for example.
Branson hopes to meet the growing demand for small, relatively inexpensive satellites. He is not the only billionaire involved in the space race. Jeff Bezos of Amazon and Elon Musk of Tesla are also building spaceships in an attempt to capitalize on the fast-growing industry.
Virgin Orbit is described as a “dedicated launch service for small commercial and government-built satellites.”
The company said it intends to make the official transition to commercial service for its next mission, adding that it already has subsequent launches reserved for customers, including the US Space Force and the Royal British Air Force, as well as companies such as Swarm Technologies, SITAEL in Italy, and Denmark GomSpace.
Virgin Orbit is a spin-off of the Branson space travel company, Virgin Galactic. A completely separate company, Virgin Orbit is privately owned by the multinational conglomerate Branson Virgin Group.
Speculation has varied widely about how much Virgin Orbit has invested so far, with estimates ranging from $ 400 million to $ 500 million and even over $ 700 million.
In an interview with CNBC in October, Hart declined to comment on how much Virgin Orbit has spent so far, but said he “has discussions” about additional investment, with the company seeking about $ 150 million in new capital.
Investors include the Virgin Branson Group and the Mubadala Investment Company – the sovereign wealth fund of the United Arab Emirates, which also holds a significant stake in Virgin Galactic.