Launch Date: Wednesday, January 12, ~5:00 p.m. EST (Takeoff: ~4:00 p.m. EST)
Rocket: Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne
Payload: Four rideshare payloads
Launch Pad: Cosmic Girl (air launch)
Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Landing Site: LauncherOne is an expendable rocket
What is Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rocket?
Virgin Orbit has a unique way of getting its customer’s payloads into space. Hung on the port wing of a Boeing 747, the LauncherOne rocket is the first liquid-fueled air-launched rocket. It consists of two stages, fueled using RP-1 and liquid oxygen like the Falcon 9 and Atlas V. LauncherOne catches a ride on Cosmic Girl, which can take off from almost any runway in the world – allowing Virgin Orbit to have a wide range of options for launch locations.
Shortly after takeoff, Cosmic Girl will fly out over the Pacific Ocean and enter what the company calls a “race track.” The 747 will then circle an area, with each pass allowing for a launch opportunity. Once conditions and the rocket are ready, Cosmic Girl will pitch up before releasing and igniting the rocket. Cosmic Girl has launched three times, with two being successful, having a 67% success rate.
Above the Clouds payloads
- STP-27VPB – Department of Defense / NASA
- STORK-3 – SatRevolution
- SteamSat-2 – SatRevolution
- Adler-1 – Spire Global
Where to watch
Of course, the best views of the launch will come from Virgin Orbit’s livestream. It will go live on the company’s YouTube channel an hour and a half before the expected launch.
