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Virgin Orbit

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Virgin Orbit was an air-launch, SmallSat launch company based in Long Beach, California. The company spun out of Virgin Galactic and was own by Richard Branson’s Virgin Group.

The company’s mission was based on an, at the time, pioneering idea called “rapid responsive launch.” The plan would be able to launch anywhere in the world within months or weeks of purchasing the flight. Now we see that happen everywhere in the launch industry.

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Virgin Orbit’s method would consist of launching a liquid fueled, two-stage rocket from the wing of a Boeing 747 airplane. The rocket, called LauncherOne, and the aircraft, CosmicGirl, could operate from almost any commercial runway in the world.

LauncherOne flew for a total six times with four of them being successful. A rather impressive launch rate for a new company pushing its technology to the limits. However it was not enough to save the company.

LauncherOne’s first flight was in May of 2020 with intern and student built satellites. However, it failed to reach orbit due to a problem with the first stage. Virgin Orbit went on to successfully launch four straight LauncherOne rockets.

The final flight of LauncherOne took place out of Spaceport Cornwall in the UK in January 2023, the previous flights originated out of Mojave Air and Space Port. This flight failed due to an issue with the rocket’s second stage, losing the handful of satellites it carried.

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This turned out to be the final straw that broke its back as Virgin Orbit went on to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April 2023. The company was strapped for cash for a few quarters already and continued to fail at the very idea it originated, rapid launches.

Its competitors divided up its remaining assets in a an auction with Rocket Lab, Firefly, Stratolaunch, and Launcher gaining much of its technology, equipment, and facilities.

Virgin Orbit seeks cash infusion to reboost the company

It’s been a turbulent week for Virgin Orbit, headquartered out of Long Beach California. The company suspended all operations and furloughed most of its workforce for a week as it sought relief by raising funds to rescue its rocket-flying business, according to sources close to the matter on March 15.

During a 5 p.m. EDT meeting that day, company higher-ups explained that employees could cash in their paid time off as the furlough would be unpaid with a small team remaining in place continuing to work.

LauncherOne is a two-stage rocket — powered by liquid oxygen and rocket grade kerosene — that can send small payloads into low Earth orbit after being air-launched by a modified 747 aircraft. Credit: Virgin Orbit

During the third quarter of 2022, Virgin Orbit reported a loss of $42.9 million as cash demands continued, with fourth quarter funding coming from an investment arm of its founder Richard Branson’s parent company, Virgin Group.

Notes in the amounts of $25 million, an unsecured convertible note secured in November of 2022, along with another $30 million in senior secured notes in December 2022 and January 2023 gives “first priority” access to assets by Branson’s parent company.

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Launch Spotlight: Virgin Orbit’s first 2022 launch of its LauncherOne vehicle

After becoming a publically traded company last week, Richard Branson’s commercial launch provider, Virgin Orbit, is preparing for its first launch of 2022. Onboard will be four payloads from both civil and commercial entities. Continuing on with fun names Virgin Orbit has given its mission, this one is called “Above the Clouds.”

Launch Date: Wednesday, January 12, ~5:00 p.m. EST (Takeoff: ~4:00 p.m. EST)

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Virgin Orbit announces plans for reusability and a new LauncherTwo vehicle

virgin orbit launcherone

The smallsat launcher owned by Richard Branson announced it will be joining the trend of other space companies and merging with a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC). This also comes with some new future plans for Virgin Orbit like turning LauncherOne into a reusable rocket and developing a new LauncherTwo vehicle.

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Virgin Orbit picks up former OneWeb Satellites CEO to get them ready for the commercial market

Richard Branson’s satellite launcher Virgin Orbit has selected their first Chief Operating Officer to help get the company ready for commercial operations after the success of their Demo 2 mission. This mission successfully deployed 10 NASA payloads from NASA’s Launch Services Program into orbit around Earth bringing them officially online as a company capable to send satellites into orbit.

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Virgin Orbit successfully launches rocket to space from wing of a 747 plane in milestone mission

Virgin Orbit attempted its second demonstration launch on Sunday after their first attempt failed shortly after the first stage ignition last year. This time around they didn’t just launch a mass simulator but actual payloads from NASA’s Educational Launch of Nanosatellites program ElaNa 20 which contained several CubeSats from universities across the nation.

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Virgin Orbit targeting mid-January for Launch Demo 2 mission following COVID-19 delays

Virgin Orbit planned to conduct its second Launch Demo mission before the end of the year, but the spread of COVID-19 forced the team to halt pre-flight work this month. After following recommended safety guidelines, the team at Virgin Orbit is back on track, the company shared today. Virgin Orbit’s launch approach involves dropping a space-bound rocket called LauncherOne from the wing of a 747 plane named Cosmic Girl.

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Virgin Orbit Launch Demo 2 mission targeting late 2020, will carry 11 NASA CubeSats

Virgin Orbit will return to flight as soon as late 2020 with a second demonstration mission aimed at dropping a space-bound LauncherOne rocket from the wing of a 747 plane named Cosmic Girl. The second orbital flight test will include NASA payload this time with 11 small satellites onboard for deployment.

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