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Branson's Virgin Orbit reaches space for first time

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/01/18/plane.jpg"/><figcaption>This handout photo obtained May 25, 2020 courtesy of Virgin Orbit shows Cosmic Girl as it releases LauncherOne mid-air for the first time during a July 2019 drop test. <em>Handout / Virgin Orbit / AFP</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>WASHINGTON - Richard Branson&#x27;s Virgin Orbit project on Sunday successfully flew a rocket into space from the wing of a 747 plane, paving the way for a new method of launching low-cost satellites.</p><p>It was the company&#x27;s second attempt at the feat after a failed test in May. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Wanted to dwell for a moment on the fact that we&#x27;ve just handed off control of the entire launch system to the four teammates on Cosmic Girl right now.<br/><br/>They&#x27;re literally the only people in the world trained and qualified to do this exact job - a unique experience for sure! <a href="https://t.co/sVS86tgoc3">pic.twitter.com/sVS86tgoc3</a></p>— Virgin Orbit (@Virgin_Orbit) <a href="https://twitter.com/Virgin_Orbit/status/1350881269588975617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2021</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>&quot;LauncherOne has reached orbit! Everyone on the team who is not in mission control right now is going absolutely bonkers,&quot; the company tweeted from its Twitter account at 2:49 pm (2049 GMT).</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">According to telemetry, LauncherOne has reached orbit! Everyone on the team who is not in mission control right now is going absolutely bonkers. Even the folks on comms are trying really hard not to sound too excited.</p>— Virgin Orbit (@Virgin_Orbit) <a href="https://twitter.com/Virgin_Orbit/status/1350892947160485889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2021</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>The plane took off from Mojave Air and Space Port in the desert north of Los Angeles and launched the rocket over the Pacific Ocean.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Our flight profile for this mission is identical to our first Launch Demo. Cosmic Girl is headed due southwest from Mojave to our drop point just south of the Channel Islands. Once there, we&#x27;ll enter into a loop that we call the &quot;racetrack&quot; as we wait for final go/no-gos. <a href="https://t.co/44ashanwMB">pic.twitter.com/44ashanwMB</a></p>— Virgin Orbit (@Virgin_Orbit) <a href="https://twitter.com/Virgin_Orbit/status/1350881998601027584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2021</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Founded by British billionaire Richard Branson in 2012, Virgin Orbit wants to offer a quick and flexible service for operators of small satellites, weighing between 300 and 500 kilos (600 to 1,00 pounds), a market which is booming.</p><p>The 70-foot (21-meter) Virgin Orbit rocket, named LauncherOne, is strapped to the underside of a wing on a converted Boeing 747 named Cosmic Girl.</p><p>When it reaches the required altitude, the plane releases the rocket, whose own engine fires up to push it into Earth&#x27;s orbit and places its payload in space. </p><p>Launching a rocket from a plane is more flexible than a vertical blast off because theoretically all a company needs is an airstrip rather than a space launchpad.</p><p>Richard Branson has founded another space company, Virgin Galactic, which is using a similar concept with the goal of taking tourists into space to experience weightlessness some 50 miles (80 kilometers) above the surface of the Earth.</p><div><strong>ia/bgs</strong></div><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5J842SFfK9Q?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>WASHINGTON - Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit project on Sunday successfully flew a rocket into space from the wing of a 747 plane, paving the way for a new method of launching low-cost satellites.<br /> </p>

WASHINGTON - Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit project on Sunday successfully flew a rocket into space from the wing of a 747 plane, paving the way for a new method of launching low-cost satellites.