Virgin Orbit showed its new launch system using the Cosmic Girl plane. It put NASA material in orbit.
Virgin Orbit showed a video of a satellite launch from an airplane, a new milestone for the company. It put ten NASA CubeSats in orbit.
The launch is made from a modified 747-400, the Cosmic Girl. The plane took off from Mojave Air and Space Port on Sunday morning.
After a trip to the Pacific, the missile was released from the plane. His engine stalled and was put into orbit, as the video shows.
Today’s sequence of events for # LaunchDemo2 went exactly according to plan, from the safe execution of our ground operations to successful burns on both engines. To say we’re excited would be a huge understatement, but 240 characters couldn’t do it justice anyway. pic.twitter.com/ZKpoi7hkGN
– Virgin Orbit (@Virgin_Orbit) January 18, 2021
The missile’s payload carried ten NASA CubeSats.
The US space agency explains that the CubeSat Launch Initiative “provides opportunities for small payloads (…) to fly at future launches”. These loads were built by universities, high schools, and nonprofits.
Cosmic Girl’s flight carried shipments from universities such as Brigham Young, Michigan, and Louisiana in Lafayette.
The benefits of Virgin Orbit’s new launch system
One of the advantages of the new launch system, Virgin Orbit explains, “it is much more flexible.”
“(You can) fly at short notice and from a wide variety of locations to access each runway,” he said in a statement.
Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, expressed his satisfaction with the launch a statement from the company.
Virgin Orbit has accomplished something many thought impossible. It was so inspiring to watch our specially modified plane, the Cosmic Girl, send the rocket into orbit, ”he said.
The launch was made in honor of Eve Branson, mother of the Virgin Group founder.
Clients such as the United States Space Force and the British Royal Air Force are looking forward to upcoming Virgin Orbit missions.