During a demonstration test, the Californian company Virgin Orbit successfully launched into orbit from
We are proud to say that LauncherOne has completed its first space mission, bringing satellites into space for our NASA friends.
Company message
The launch of the 20-meter rocket took place in the Southern California region.
Modified Boeing 747 aircraft with LauncherOneflew under the wing from a spaceport in the California Mojave Desert. After 50 minutes, the rocket was dropped at a planned point over the Pacific Ocean. The engines fired in the prescribed mode, and after 10 minutes LauncherOne entered orbit.
Today's sequence of events for #LaunchDemo2went exactly to plan, from safe execution of our ground ops all the way through successful full duration burns on both engines. To say we're thrilled would be a massive understatement, but 240 characters couldn't do it justice anyway. pic.twitter.com/ZKpoi7hkGN
— Virgin Orbit (@Virgin_Orbit) January 18, 2021
LauncherOne is designed to launch satellites weighing up to 500 kg into low-earth orbit. This method of launching satellites is much cheaper than traditional methods.
Read more
Earth will reach critical temperature in 20 years
Abortion and science: what will happen to the children who will give birth
A plant that is not afraid of climate change has been named. It feeds a billion people