https://spacewatch.global/tag/virgin-orbit/ AN INDEPENDENT PERSPECTIVE ON SPACE Wed, 24 Apr 2024 15:00:32 +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/virgin-orbit/ 32 32 https://spacewatch.global/2024/04/european-spaceplane-summit-interview-with-ross-hulbert/ Wed, 24 Apr 2024 15:00:32 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=54884 Ross Hulbert is the head of engagement at Spaceport Cornwall. He spoke with SpaceWatch Global's Torsten Kriening about the setup and the lessons learned from Virgin Orbit's first horizontal space launch from European soil in January 2023. Ross also talked about the next steps for the space ecosystem in Cornwall and its way to becoming the place to launch your spaceplane into orbit.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2023/12/uksa-lessons-learned-from-spaceport-cornwall-launch/ Mon, 18 Dec 2023 07:00:10 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=52862 https://spacewatch.global/2023/04/virgin-orbit-files-for-bankruptcy/ Wed, 05 Apr 2023 06:00:50 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=47835 Virgin Orbit Holdings Inc. filed for bankruptcy after the satellite launch firm was unable to secure the funding necessary to keep operating and cut about 85% of its staff. The company listed $243 million in assets and $153.5 million for its total debt in a Chapter 11 petition that it filed in Delaware. However, Virgin Investments Ltd has committed to offering an additional $31.6 million to keep the Company's operation going while it seeks a buyer.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2023/03/virgin-orbit-to-resume-part-operations-after-funding/ Thu, 23 Mar 2023 07:00:15 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=47468 In light of Virgin Orbit's pause operations amidst financial uncertainties, the Launch Company will partly resume operations after nearing a $200 million deal with Venture capital firm Matthew Brown Companies. According to Reuters, the Texas-based company will prevent Virgin Orbit's rocket from bankruptcy via a private share placement. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2023/03/virgin-orbit-halts-operations-amidst-financial-uncertainty/ Mon, 20 Mar 2023 07:00:16 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=47364 Virgin Orbit has paused its operations and furloughed its staff for at least a week in the event of recent financial challenges. According to a statement the Company released on March 15, Virgin Orbit said it was instituting an “operational pause” across the company, which includes furloughing staff. A Company spokesperson stated that the launch vehicle company is initiating a company-wide operational pause, effective March 16, 2023, and anticipates providing an update on go-forward operations in the coming weeks. ]]> 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/2023/01/launcherone-fails-to-deploy-british-satellite-to-counter-cyber-hacking-threats/ Tue, 10 Jan 2023 07:00:13 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=45898 RHEATECH’s DOVER Pathfinder satellite, designed to protect critical national infrastructure in the event of cyber hacking and jamming attacks, was on board the first-ever horizontal orbital launch from UK soil last night. The low-cost, resilient system was created to safeguard the UK’s critical national infrastructure. The launch, however, ended in failure due to an anomaly.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2023/01/northstar-earth-space-inc-closes-35-million-series-c-funding/ Fri, 06 Jan 2023 07:00:41 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=45836 NorthStar Earth & Space Inc. has closed a $35 million Series C funding round with US-based private equity lead Cartesian Capital Group, LLC, through an affiliated entity, Pangaea Three Acquisition Holdings III, LLC. NorthStar will use the funding to launch an advanced Space Situational Awareness service by mid-2023]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/12/uk-civil-aviation-authority-issues-licences-ahead-of-virgin-orbits-uk-launch/ Thu, 22 Dec 2022 07:00:59 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=45605 Following consent from Transport Secretary Mark Harper, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued the final remaining licences to Virgin Orbit ahead of its planned launch from the UK, the UK Government stated. The CAA granted the licences within 15 months.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/11/uks-new-space-regulation-will-fuel-participation-in-the-commercial-space-race/ Mon, 21 Nov 2022 07:00:21 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=44922 UK regulations regarding space, in force since July 2021, helped pave the way for Virgin Orbit to get approval for launching its LauncherOne vehicle from Newquay’s Spaceport Cornwall facility. The launch will be the first ever space launch from UK soil. Commercial space lawyer Andrew Sparrow, Founder of Lecote Applied Space Technology Lawyers, says this model shows how to align enabling laws with industry needs.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/10/northstars-space-situational-awareness-services-will-be-launched-by-virgin-orbit/ Fri, 28 Oct 2022 06:00:01 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=44301 Environment information services enterprise NorthStar Earth & Space, stated that the first three spacecraft of its 24-satellite constellation dedicated to commercial Space Situational Awareness (SSA) will be among space-to-cloud data and analytics company, Spire Global’s satellite payloads to be launched by Virgin Orbit in mid-2023.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/10/virgin-orbit-signs-agreements-with-luxembourg-minister-of-defence-and-spire-global/ Thu, 27 Oct 2022 06:00:10 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=44285 Space launch systems operator Virgin Orbit (VO), and the Luxembourg Minister of Defence signed a Letter of Intent to begin the process towards developing responsive space capabilities inclusive of a Luxembourg-based mobile launch infrastructure available for NATO partners, and other Allies across the European continent, VO said. As part of the agreement, VO will assess how such a space capability could be based in the country and optimized for various needs. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/10/omans-first-satellite-is-ready-to-launch-from-the-uk/ Mon, 24 Oct 2022 06:00:04 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=44191 The first Omani satellite, Aman, has been successfully integrated with Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rocket, awaiting to be deployed into low Earth orbit, by Virgin from Newquay, Cornwall, UK. LauncherOne is already on the launch site, awaiting its launch license from the British government. This will be the first launch from UK soil and the first international launch for Virgin.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/08/j-space-partners-with-virgin-orbit-for-sovereign-launch-capability/ Wed, 10 Aug 2022 06:00:19 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=42642 Space launch systems operator Virgin Orbit, has signed an agreement with South Korean investment group J-Space, to assess candidate spaceport launch sites in South Korea, to conduct satellite launch services from there using the LauncherOne System, Virgin said.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/06/virgin-orbit-establishes-new-brazilian-subsidiary-and-receives-operators-license/ Wed, 29 Jun 2022 06:00:23 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=41818 Virgin Orbit’s newly formed and wholly owned Brazilian subsidiary, Virgin Orbit Brasil, has been formally granted an operator’s license to allow LauncherOne launch operations in Brazil, said Virgin Orbit alongside the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB). The license allows for LauncherOne deployments from the Alcântara Launch Center as early as 2023.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/05/us-nro-and-uks-ministry-of-defence-partner-for-historic-launch/ Wed, 11 May 2022 06:00:41 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=40895 The United States’ National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is partnering with the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) on the historic first commercial rocket to be launched from the UK, the MOD announced. The launch will be carried out by Virgin Orbit, sending 9 multinational rideshares to orbit aboard its LauncherOne and a modified Boeing 747 aircraft.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/03/spacewatchgl-opinion-european-spaceports/ Thu, 17 Mar 2022 09:00:45 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=39899 A new €1 billion fund called “Cassini” was announced at the last European Space Conference, this fund will help to boost start-ups and space innovation, including supporting the plans for a more comprehensive strategy on developing European space launch vehicles.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/02/virgin-orbit-to-launch-sultanate-of-oman-into-deep-space/ Tue, 01 Feb 2022 07:00:01 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=38878 The Sultanate of Oman, Virgin Orbit, small satellite manufacturer and operator SatRevolution, AI data analytics specialists TUATARA, and technology innovator ETCO, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on Oman’s first mission to deep space. The consortium will also deliver additional small satellites to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), including the first in Oman’s history.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/01/israel-artemis-accords-while-nasa-selects-companies-for-vadr/ Thu, 27 Jan 2022 07:00:24 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=38799 Israel signed onto Artemis Accords to land astronauts on the Moon and establish a long-term human presence there as a base for future Mars missions, the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology announced. The Artemis program establishes principles of cooperation, sustainable human presence on the lunar surface and space exploration in general.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/01/virgin-orbit-launches-seven-cubesats-on-third-operational-mission/ Fri, 14 Jan 2022 12:00:52 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=38580 Virgin Orbit deployed seven cubesats for three customers on LauncherOne’s third successful operational flight that took off from air-launch platform Cosmic Girl, a Boeing 747 aircraft. The rocket carried the satellites into low Earth orbit, at an inclination of 45 degrees.]]>