Virgin Orbit has conducted its third successful commercial launch using a rocket strapped to the left wing of a modified 747 aircraft. The flight took off on 13 January from the Mojave Air and Space Port, California, at 1339 PST (0939 GMT). It then flew to the launch site above the Pacific, about 50 miles (80km) south of California’s Channel Islands. Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rocket weighs about 26 tonnes.
Once the aircraft, named Cosmic Girl, was in position and final checks were complete, the rocket was released from the wing. Five seconds later, it ignited and climbed out of the Earth’s atmosphere. About 55 minutes later, the seven small satellites in its nose cone were deployed into orbits approximately 310 miles in altitude and inclined to the equator by 45 degrees.
The satellites are mostly experimental devices to test novel communication, navigation and propulsion techniques, detect space debris and monitor agriculture on the Earth. Four have been flown as part of the US military’s Space Test Program. The other three are from commercial enterprises. In light of this success, Virgin Orbit plans five more launches this year, including two in summer that will take off from Newquay airport in Cornwall, England.
