Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit, with a rocket under the wings of a modified Boeing 747 jet, takes off for a major drop test of its high-altitude satellite launch system from Mojave, California, July 10, 2019.
Mike Blake | Reuters
Virgin Orbit, the rocket company founded by billionaire Richard Branson, successfully launched its first satellites into space using its new air launch system.
The California-headquartered company said 10 mini-satellites had been launched into space by the same rocket, which was launched from the wing of an old Boeing 747 jumbo jet as it flew over the Pacific Ocean.
The jet, nicknamed Cosmic Girl, departed Mojave Air and Space Port at approximately 10:50 a.m. PST on Sunday. Nearly 60 minutes later, he dropped the “LauncherOne” rocket about 50 miles south of the California Channel Islands at an altitude of 35,000 feet.
Upon release, the rocket motor ignited, accelerating LauncherOne into space. About two hours later, at an altitude of 500 km, it deployed 10 shoebox-sized satellites developed by universities and selected by NASA. The satellites will be used for space research.
“A new gateway to space has just opened,” Dan Hart, Virgin Orbit’s CEO, said in a statement. “LauncherOne’s ability to successfully reach orbit today is testament to the talent, precision, drive and ingenuity of this team.”
The successful launch comes after Virgin tried Orbit last May and failed to launch a missile. The company identified the malfunction in a high-pressure fuel line in the engine, causing the rocket to stop shortly after launch.
“Virgin Orbit has accomplished what many thought was impossible. It was so inspiring to watch our specially modified Virgin Atlantic 747, Cosmic Girl, send the LauncherOne rocket into orbit,” Branson said in a statement .
“This wonderful flight is the result of many years of hard work and will also unleash a whole new generation of innovators on their way to orbit.”
Virgin Orbit’s launch technique means the company could theoretically launch rockets from almost anywhere in the world in the short term. For example, it has plans to launch 747s of rockets from Cornwall, England.
Branson hopes to respond to the growing demand for small, relatively inexpensive satellites. He’s not the only billionaire involved in the space race. Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Tesla’s Elon Musk are also building spacecraft to take advantage of the fast-growing industry.
Virgin Orbit describes itself as a “dedicated launch service for small commercial and government-built satellites”.
The company said it plans to officially transition to commercial service for its next mission, adding that it has already made subsequent launches by customers including the US Space Force and the UK Royal Air Force, as well as companies such as Swarm Technologies , the Italian SITAEL, and GomSpace in Denmark.
Virgin Orbit is a spin-off from Branson’s space tourism company Virgin Galactic. Virgin Orbit is a completely separate company and is privately owned by Branson’s multinational conglomerate Virgin Group.
Speculation has varied widely as to how much Virgin Orbit has invested so far, with estimates ranging from $ 400 million to $ 500 million and even over $ 700 million.
In an October interview with CNBC, Hart declined to comment on how much Virgin Orbit has spent so far, but said it “had discussions” about further investments, with the company seeking about $ 150 million in new capital.
Investors include Branson’s Virgin Group and Mubadala Investment Company – the United Arab Emirates’ state investment fund that also has a significant stake in Virgin Galactic.