The commercial race to space has just become a bit busier. Virgin Orbit, Richard Branson’s sister company Virgin Galactic, successfully launched a rocket into orbit for the first time. He also managed to successfully deliver useful tasks for a client, NASA, giving up a number of nanosatellites sponsored by the agency.
Sunday, Virgin Orbit performed the second test flight of his LauncherOne missile, which is launched into space using an unconventional launch system. Iinstead of lifting from a launch buffer on the ground, the rocket is carried under the wing of a custom Boeing 747, called the “Cosmic Girl” and launched in a predetermined location. Once launched, the rocket ignites and feeds into orbit. That’s exactly what happened on Sunday.
As explained by Virgin, by launching its rocket from an aircraft in the air, the Virgin Orbit launch system does not need such a large rocket or so much fuel. This is good from a financial perspective as it helps keep costs downwn. In addition, the outlet notes that the maintenance of the company that his system is potentially more flexible than others, because in theory it could launch satellites from anywhere a 737 can take off and land.
“Virgin Orbit has achieved something that many thought was impossible,” Branson said in a statement Sunday. “It was so inspiring to see that the specially adapted Virgin Atlantic 747, Cosmic Girl, sent the LauncherOne rocket into orbit. 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. ”
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The successful launch was a ransom for Virgin Orbit, which failed to reach orbit for the first time. test flight in May last year. Company he said later a problem with a propeller line, which broke a few seconds after the rocket engine running, was behind the malfunction.
Unlike Virgin Galactic, which has its eyes fixed In space tourism, Virgin Orbit refers to the small launch satellites.
LauncherOne carries 10 nanosatellites, called CubeSats, which are part of NASA’s initiative to launch nanonsatellites educationally. The program is designed to attract and retain STEM students, on NASA, and students are involved in all aspects of the mission, from development and assembly at testing and launch.
They are called nanosatellites for a reason. CubeSats are designed to have 10x10x10 cm or about four inches in cubes, explains the agency. Although they may be composed of single units, which must weigh less than 1.33 kilograms, can also be combined to form two, three or six units. The CubeSats carried by LauncherOne were created by eight American universities, as well as by NASA. The satellites will I’m working on research topics such as space weather, space radiation and space debris, among others.
Virgin Orbit said it already has a number of customers reserved for subsequent launches, including the US Space Force, UKRoyal Force, Italian private co-spacempany SITAEL and the Danish satellite manufacturer GomSpace, among others.