Virgin Orbit targets launch window on December 19 for second orbital test launch – Heaven32
Virgin orbit to have Ad the target time for his next attempt at orbital flight, following a demonstration launch earlier this year that went rather well, until his rocket detached from the carrier’s launcher and fired its own engines for the crucial remainder of space travel. However, the company claims to have made a number of updates based on that first attempt, including updates to engine systems, transport planes, and data systems to hopefully have a better demonstration flight the second time. .
The new launch window is December 19, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. PST. There’s also a save window for December 20 that spans similar times, according to the company, and more in the coming weeks, in case it needs to be postponed for any reason. This demo will involve a full launch cycle of the entire Virgin Orbit launch system, including its Cosmic Girl launch plane (a modified 747 airliner) and LauncherOne, the rocket that separates from Cosmic Girl at an altitude cruise ships before starting their own engines to make the remainder of the space trip with small satellites on board.
Virgin Orbit’s system is unique in that it takes off and lands from a traditional airport, eliminating the need for specialized launch sites and opening up the potential for relatively low global launch flexibility. It also has the potential to offer cost and planning advantages to small satellite companies looking to launch one or a few spacecraft, without having to wait for the time of a shared mission on a larger rocket like the ‘one of the SpaceX,
or pay a premium for something like the Rocket Lab offering.
Last time in May, the Virgin Orbit flight went perfectly from take off until the LauncherOne separated from the transport plane. The rocket even fired its engines on time as intended, but the engines were essentially shut down immediately due to a built-in safety system that also performed as intended when it detected unusual readings.
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With this second attempt, Virgin Orbit wants to show that their system is now also working, with a full flight of the first floor and operation of the upper floor. The stakes are a little higher this time, because there will be real customer satellites on board, even if it is still technically a demonstration mission, the main objective of which is to collect data.
The 10 payloads on board are from NASA and represent a number of different science and education programs created entirely by universities and academic institutions based in the United States.