Virgin Orbit
Virgin Orbit moves closer to first launch
Virgin Orbit has shipped the LauncherOne rocket for its inaugural mission from the factory, setting up a launch attempt some time this fall.
Richard Branson headlines Air Force event, pitches Virgin Orbit’s capabilities for national security
Branson: “Hopefully that will be a deterrent to an enemy state to not knock out satellites if America has a capability to replace them within 24 hours."
Smallsat launch services feel pricing pressure
Companies that provide both dedicated and rideshare launch services for small satellites say that price remains a major factor for their customers, with pressure from growing competition to lower them.
OneWeb disputes Virgin Orbit lawsuit, says LauncherOne is too expensive
Megaconstellation startup OneWeb asked a court to dismiss a June lawsuit by Virgin Orbit, claiming that it doesn’t accurately portray a 2015 launch contract.
Virgin Orbit offers vision of responsive smallsat constellation launch
As Virgin Orbit prepares to attempt its first orbital launch later this year, the company is offering a long-term vision of using multiple planes flying from multiple spaceports to be able to deploy an entire constellation within hours.
U.K. deepens space ties with U.S., announces investments in small satellites, responsive launch
The U.K. will invest $34 million in small satellites, will increase support for the Combined Space Operations Center.
Virgin Orbit carries out successful LauncherOne drop test
Virgin Orbit performed a key test of its LauncherOne air launch system July 10, dropping an inert vehicle from its carrier aircraft in one of the last milestones before the vehicle’s first orbital launch attempt.
Virgin Orbit takes OneWeb to court over canceled launch contract
According to a complaint Virgin Orbit filed June 4 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, OneWeb canceled 35 of its planned 39 launches last June, triggering a $70 million termination fee.
U.K. to fund development of spaceport facilities for Virgin Orbit
The U.K. Space Agency and a local government announced plans June 4 to invest in facilities at a British airport to support launch operations by Virgin Orbit.
Commercial, not government, demand will drive size of small launch vehicle market
Startups in the burgeoning small launch vehicle market acknowledge that only a handful of vehicles will survive a likely shakeout, driven more by commercial rather than government demand.
Exolaunch and Virgin Orbit sign memorandum of understanding
German launch services provider Exolaunch announced a memorandum of understanding April 11 with Virgin Orbit to send satellites into space as early as 2020 on LauncherOne dedicated and rideshare missions.
Three companies selected for DARPA Launch Challenge
Three launch vehicle developers, one of which is still in stealth mode, have qualified to compete in a DARPA competition in early 2020 to demonstrate responsive launch capabilities.
Small launch vehicle companies see rideshare as an opportunity and a threat
Developers of small launch vehicles, who have promoted their vehicles as providing dedicated access to space for small satellites, say they’re also open to flying rideshare missions as they face competition from larger rockets.
Cloud Constellation lines up $100 million investment
A startup designing a constellation of orbiting cloud data centers has arranged a $100 million investment from Hughes China Holdings Company Limited (HCH Group) of Hong Kong.
Pentagon procurement chief Ellen Lord: DoD needs launch vehicles for small satellites
Lord said Virgin Orbit is "an example of the type of companies I think we need to cultivate.”
Small launch vehicle industry entering key period
The next two years will be a key period for the small launch vehicle industry as several companies prepare for first flights of their vehicles and try to find their niche in a market of uncertain size.
