https://spacewatch.global/tag/sir-richard-branson/ AN INDEPENDENT PERSPECTIVE ON SPACE Fri, 13 Jan 2023 07:00:31 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://spacewatch.global/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SpaceWatchGlobal-Sign-90x90.png https://spacewatch.global/tag/sir-richard-branson/ 32 32 https://spacewatch.global/2023/01/virgin-orbit-provides-start-me-up-mission-anomaly-update/ Fri, 13 Jan 2023 07:00:31 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=45974 Virgin Orbit has provided an update on why the first horizontal orbital launch from UK soil failed on 9th January. The company says that the preliminary analysis of data is starting to shed light on the anomaly.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2021/07/virgin-orbit-launches-tubular-bells-its-first-commercial-mission/ Thu, 01 Jul 2021 06:00:50 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=34096&preview=true&preview_id=34096 Only five months after it reached space in a test flight, Virgin Orbit successfully launched its first commercial mission, the company said. The mission called “Tubular Bells: Part One” was launched from Virgin Orbit’s modified Boeing 747, the “Cosmic Girl”, and with a two-stage rocket called LauncherOne]]> https://spacewatch.global/2021/06/virgin-orbit-eyes-spac-deal-valuing-it-at-3bn-sky-reports/ Mon, 14 Jun 2021 06:00:26 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=33579&preview=true&preview_id=33579 Virgin Orbit is close to merging with a SPAC, valuing Richard Branson’s company at $3 billion, Sky News reported. Virgin Orbit is close to finalising a deal to combine with NextGen Acquisition II, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) set up by George Mattson, a former Goldman Sachs banker, Sky News reported.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2021/05/virgin-galactic-succeeds-human-spaceflight-from-new-mexico/ Mon, 24 May 2021 06:00:46 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=32977&preview=true&preview_id=32977 Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic completed the first human spaceflight from Spaceport America, New Mexico, the company said. The flight of VSS Unity which was released from the mothership VMS Eve with CJ Sturckow, as pilot-in-command, and Dave Mackay on board, sees New Mexico become the third US state to launch humans into space, the company said.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2021/03/virgin-orbit-looks-into-spac-merger-listing-wsj-says/ Mon, 15 Mar 2021 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=31143&preview=true&preview_id=31143 Virgin Orbit looks into SPAC merger listing, WSJ says]]> https://spacewatch.global/2021/01/bransons-virgin-orbit-reaches-space-with-launcherone/ Mon, 18 Jan 2021 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=29795&preview=true&preview_id=29795 Branson's Virgin Orbit reaches space with LauncherOne]]> https://spacewatch.global/2020/10/virgin-orbit-looking-to-raise-up-to-200-million-of-funding/ Wed, 14 Oct 2020 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=27172&preview=true&preview_id=27172 Virgin Orbit looking to raise up to $200 million of funding]]> https://spacewatch.global/2020/05/virgin-proposes-at-the-market-offering-of-shares-of-virgin-galactic-holdings-by-vieco-10-limited/ Wed, 13 May 2020 05:00:41 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=22443 Virgin Group, through its subsidiary Vieco 10 Limited, announced on 11 May 2020 that it may offer and sell up to 25,000,000 shares of its common stock in Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc., to or through Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC as sales agent or principal.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2020/04/virgin-orbit-ventilators-granted-emergency-use-authorization-first-deliveries-expected-soon/ Wed, 29 Apr 2020 05:00:36 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=21929 Virgin Orbit, Sir Richard Branson’s responsive satellite launch company, announced on 23 April 2020 that regulators at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have granted an Emergency Use Authorization for the immediate delivery and use of a new “bridge” ventilator designed and built by the aerospace firm. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2020/02/virgin-galactic-captive-carry-test-flight-marks-relocation-of-spaceflight-operations-to-spaceport-america/ Tue, 18 Feb 2020 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=19500 Virgin Galactic successfully completed another vital step on its path to commercial service, relocating SpaceShipTwo, VSS Unity, to its commercial headquarters at Spaceport America’s Gateway to Space building.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2019/10/virgin-orbit-partners-with-satrevolution-and-polish-universities-for-mars-consortium/ Mon, 14 Oct 2019 05:00:14 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=16414 Scientists and engineers from nearly a dozen Polish universities have teamed up with Poland-based satellite company SatRevolution and Sir Richard Branson’s small satellite launch company Virgin Orbit to establish a new consortium to design and carry out the world’s first dedicated commercial small satellite mission to Mars. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2019/10/uks-royal-air-force-loans-pilot-for-virgin-orbit-missions/ Mon, 07 Oct 2019 05:00:59 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=16300 The Royal Air Force (RAF) and Virgin Orbit announced the next step in an exciting new space partnership with the selection of an RAF test pilot to be seconded to the small satellite launch program, pending U.S. and U.K. regulatory approvals.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2019/07/15051/ Wed, 10 Jul 2019 05:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=15051 Virgin Galactic (VG) and Social Capital Hedosophia (SCH), a public investment vehicle sponsored by Social Capital and Hedosophia, announced that the boards of directors of each company have approved a definitive agreement under which the companies will merge,]]> https://spacewatch.global/2019/05/virgin-galactic-prepare-for-move-to-operations-hq/ Wed, 15 May 2019 05:00:42 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=14082 At a press conference last week, Virgin Founder Sir Richard Branson announced that Virgin Galactic’s development and testing program had advanced sufficiently to move the spaceline staff and space vehicles from Mojave, California to their commercial operations headquarters at Spaceport America, New Mexico.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2019/04/uaes-mubadala-creates-abu-dhabi-hub71-with-softbank-and-microsoft-for-new-space-other-tech-start-ups/ Mon, 22 Apr 2019 05:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=13660 Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund Mubadala is set to create a start-up ecosystem in Abu Dhabi that will attract New Space and other emerging technology companies to the Gulf Arab state. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2019/04/germanys-exolaunch-and-virgin-orbit-sign-agreement-to-launch-small-satellites-from-launcher-one/ Mon, 15 Apr 2019 05:00:20 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=13526 EXOLAUNCH, a leading Germany-based launch services provider and cluster integrator for small satellites, and Virgin Orbit, a California-based launch vehicle provider for small satellites, have announced the signing of an MOU for transporting EXOLAUNCH customers’ payloads on dedicated and rideshare missions with Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne as early as 2020.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2018/12/virgin-galactic-achieves-spaceflight-success-with-help-from-uae-investment/ Mon, 17 Dec 2018 06:00:11 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=11967 Virgin Galactic, the private spaceflight company founded by Virgin Group chairman Sir Richard Branson achieved success on 13 December 2018 after its SpaceShipTwo Unity (VSS Unity) reached suborbital space for the first time over the Mojave Desert in California, United States.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2018/12/spacewatchgl-oped-why-we-should-continue-to-invest-in-space-exploration/ Sun, 09 Dec 2018 09:00:04 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=11816 Mankind has always been defined by our collective curiosity. We constantly push for greater things, expanding our knowledge and influence over the world around us.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2018/10/virgin-group-cuts-off-space-investment-talks-with-saudi-arabia-amidst-khashoggi-murder-allegation/ Mon, 15 Oct 2018 05:00:37 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=10829 The Virgin Group, the parent company of Virgin Galactic and Virgin Orbit, has withdrawn from all discussions over a U.S.$1 billion investment in its space activities with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) following the alleged torture and murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on 2 October 2018.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2018/10/spacewatchgl-oped-pan-arab-space-cooperation-for-economic-development-and-fighting-climate-change/ Sun, 07 Oct 2018 08:00:22 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=10712 The benefits of space to the Middle East and North Africa region are undeniable, yet there is no single representative body to champion the sector. The near total inexistence of coordination or even collaboration has resulted in calls for the creation of a Pan-Arab Space Agency, to operate and coordinate programs in a comparable manner to the European Space Agency (ESA).]]>