Richard Branson – Spaceflight Now

Virgin Orbit pauses operations amid financial troubles

March 20, 2023 Stephen Clark

Virgin Orbit announced last week it is pausing operations after sustained financial losses, furloughing most of the company’s approximately 750 employees as officials seek funding to keep the small satellite launch provider afloat.

Virgin Galactic flies to edge of space for first time from New Mexico

May 23, 2021 Stephen Clark

Two pilots flew Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo rocketplane to the edge of space Saturday over New Mexico on the first human spaceflight from the company’s new home base at Spaceport America.

Virgin Galactic pilots land safely after aborting suborbital flight

December 12, 2020 Stephen Clark

Two pilots aboard Virgin Galactic’s commercial SpaceShipTwo suborbital rocketplane safely landed back in New Mexico Saturday after a “computer communications loss” triggered an abort of the craft’s engine ignition sequence.

Virgin Orbit’s air-launched rocket fails on first test flight

May 25, 2020 Stephen Clark

Making its first flight, a privately-funded air-launched rocket developed and built by Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit failed to reach space Monday after release from the company’s modified 747 carrier airplane over the Pacific Ocean.

Virgin Orbit eager for data from first flight of air-launched rocket

May 24, 2020 Stephen Clark

Virgin Orbit is setting modest expectations ahead of the company’s first attempt to reach orbit with a liquid-fueled air-launched rocket, emphasizing a hunger for flight data on the test launch, which could occur as soon as Monday off the coast of Southern California.

Virgin Orbit schedules its first orbital test launch this weekend

May 21, 2020 Stephen Clark

The first orbital test flight of Virgin Orbit’s privately-developed air-launched rocket is scheduled as soon as Sunday off the coast of Southern California, the company said Wednesday.

Virgin Orbit’s first launch could happen later this month

May 4, 2020 Stephen Clark

Virgin Orbit could attempt its first orbital test launch later this month over the Pacific Ocean southwest of Los Angeles, capping a development program for an air-launched small satellite carrier that began in earnest eight years ago.

Virgin Orbit completes cryogenic captive carry test flight

April 13, 2020 Stephen Clark

Virgin Orbit completed a captive carry flight of its liquid-fueled air-launched rocket Sunday over the Pacific Ocean in what the company described as its final development test before the small satellite launcher’s first mission to space.

Drop test moves Virgin Orbit closer to first satellite launch

July 10, 2019 Stephen Clark

A full-scale model of Virgin Orbit’s air-dropped small satellite launcher, filled with water and antifreeze instead of rocket fuel, dropped from the wing of a modified Boeing 747 carrier jet Wednesday over a test range at Edwards Air Force Base in California, paving the way for the company’s first space mission later this year.

Virgin Galactic to move remaining SpaceShipTwo test flights to New Mexico

May 10, 2019 Stephen Clark

Virgin Galactic will conduct the remaining test flights for the company’s SpaceShipTwo suborbital rocket plane from southern New Mexico after moving staff and equipment from California over the next few months, officials announced Friday.