Virgin Orbit successfully placed a set of payloads for the U.S. Space Force into orbit early July 2 in the company’s first nighttime launch.
Virgin Orbit’s Boeing 747 aircraft, Cosmic Girl, took off from Mojave Air and Space Port in California at 1:49 a.m. Eastern. The aircraft flew to its drop zone over the Pacific Ocean west of San Diego, releasing the LauncherOne rocket at 2:53 a.m. Eastern.
The rocket entered an initial transfer orbit and, after a 45-minute coast, fired its upper stage engine again before deploying its payloads into a 500-kilometer orbit inclined at 45 degrees.
The launch, called “Straight Up” by Virgin Orbit, was performed under a contract with the U.S. Space Force, which designated the mission STP-S28A.
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Following the success of this launch, the Virgin Orbit is preparing for its first international launch later this year in collaboration with the United Kingdom Space Agency, the Royal Air force, and Space Port Cornwall. This will be the first orbital launch ever from UK soil.