Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit sends satellites into space from 747

Virgin Orbit, the rocket company founded by billionaire Richard Branson, has successfully put its first satellites into space using its new aerial 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 as it flew over the Pacific Ocean. .

The jet, nicknamed Cosmic Girl, took off from Mojave Air and Space Port around 10:50 a.m. PST on Sunday. Almost 60 minutes later, it dropped the “LauncherOne” rocket about 50 miles south of the Channel Islands of California at a height of 35,000 feet.

After its release, the rocket engine ignited, accelerating LauncherOne through 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,” Virgin Orbit CEO Dan Hart said in a statement. “The fact that LauncherOne was able to successfully reach orbit today is a testament to the talent, precision, motivation and ingenuity of this team.”

The successful launch comes after Virgin Orbit attempted and failed to launch a rocket in May of last year. The company diagnosed a failure of a high-pressure fuel line in the engine, which caused the rocket to shut down shortly after launch.

“Virgin Orbit achieved something that many thought was impossible. It was so inspiring to see our specially adapted Virgin Atlantic 747, Cosmic Girl, send 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 whole new generation of innovators on the path to orbit.”

Virgin Orbit’s launch technique means the company can theoretically launch rockets on short notice from almost anywhere on Earth. He plans to launch 747 rocket carriers from Cornwall, England, for example.

Branson hopes to take advantage of the growing demand for relatively inexpensive small satellites. He is not the only billionaire involved in the space race. Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Tesla’s Elon Musk are also building spaceships in an attempt to take advantage of the rapidly growing industry.

Virgin Orbit describes itself as a “dedicated small commercial and government-built satellite launch service.”

The company said it plans to officially switch to commercial service for its next mission, adding that it already has subsequent launches booked by customers such as the US Space Force and the British Royal Air Force, as well as companies. like Swarm Technologies, Italian SITAEL, and Denmark’s GomSpace.

Virgin Orbit is a spin-off of Branson’s space tourism company Virgin Galactic. An entirely separate company, Virgin Orbit is a privately held company owned by Branson’s multinational conglomerate, Virgin Group.

Speculation has varied widely about Virgin Orbit’s investments to date, 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 talks” about new investments, with the company seeking around $ 150 million worth of money. new capital.

Investors include Branson’s Virgin Group and Mubadala Investment Company – the sovereign wealth fund of the United Arab Emirates which also has a significant stake in Virgin Galactic.