Virgin Orbit Boeing 747-400 rocket launch platform, named Cosmic Girl, takes off from Mojave Air and Space Port, Mojave (MHV) on its second orbital launch demonstration in the Mojave Desert, north of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Matt Hartman)
Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit reached space on Sunday, eight months after the first demonstration flight of its air-launched rocket system failed, the company said.
Virgin Orbit will compete this week as one of three companies initially to send a rocket to space, carrying about 100 satellites to orbit, for a third time, all for Branson's Virgin Galactic venture.
Virgin Orbit took off from New Mexico's Spaceport America, carrying the 175-pound Mark 1 satellite, a weather imaging satellite, 30 commercial-class satellites, and two launch-worthy solid rocket boosters.
They are billed as the first vehicle of its type that uses the older-style "super boosters," a large object, akin to a car on a ramp, used to prop up the heavier-mass payload after it reaches orbit.
Virgin Orbit's Branson flies in the British Virgin brassiere. (Photo courtesy of Virgin Orbit)
The British Space Agency tweeted here a video of Branson in his take on a brassiere "from eastern Europe."
Virgin Orbit had a ticket gone through earlier this month through Beijing-based China General Space Administration, and should receive its next ticket for a launch on Oct. 4, 2012, launching more than 900 satellites — its share of Orbital Sciences (OSTK), whose company issued the rocket on its behalf.
Virgin Orbit's Mark 1 satellite, supported by NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite Program constellation, launched about 12 minutes into the flight, firing up its main solid rocket boosters at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. (AP Photo/Chris Monchy)
Dermot Corrigan and Jack Stolper contributed to this post.
Follow Ryan on Twitter at @RMac18 or email him at [email protected]. Follow Paul II at @PaulIIorJackson on Twitter.
5 Things Syriza Should Do Now Former Budgets
The Greeks have voted in a referendum on whether or not to accept a new bailout for the country. That very may put the, er, strain on having an agreement. That's why Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras hasn't been at the negotiating table for the last few weeks.
If he migrates, paid his "bank holiday"—a day off without working—into the nearest parliament building for six months, and then leaves everything up to neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn instead of setting out to make a deal, he'll lose the support of his own party and potentially lose the vote if he even opens his mouth.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras hasn't been at the negotiating table for the last few weeks, so he
Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit reached space on Sunday, eight months after the first demonstration flight of its air-launched rocket system failed, the company said.
Virgin Orbit will compete this week as one of three companies initially to send a rocket to space, carrying about 100 satellites to orbit, for a third time, all for Branson's Virgin Galactic venture.
Virgin Orbit took off from New Mexico's Spaceport America, carrying the 175-pound Mark 1 satellite, a weather imaging satellite, 30 commercial-class satellites, and two launch-worthy solid rocket boosters.
They are billed as the first vehicle of its type that uses the older-style "super boosters," a large object, akin to a car on a ramp, used to prop up the heavier-mass payload after it reaches orbit.
Virgin Orbit's Branson flies in the British Virgin brassiere. (Photo courtesy of Virgin Orbit)
The British Space Agency tweeted here a video of Branson in his take on a brassiere "from eastern Europe."
Virgin Orbit had a ticket gone through earlier this month through Beijing-based China General Space Administration, and should receive its next ticket for a launch on Oct. 4, 2012, launching more than 900 satellites — its share of Orbital Sciences (OSTK), whose company issued the rocket on its behalf.
Virgin Orbit's Mark 1 satellite, supported by NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite Program constellation, launched about 12 minutes into the flight, firing up its main solid rocket boosters at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. (AP Photo/Chris Monchy)
Dermot Corrigan and Jack Stolper contributed to this post.
Follow Ryan on Twitter at @RMac18 or email him at [email protected]. Follow Paul II at @PaulIIorJackson on Twitter.
5 Things Syriza Should Do Now Former Budgets
The Greeks have voted in a referendum on whether or not to accept a new bailout for the country. That very may put the, er, strain on having an agreement. That's why Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras hasn't been at the negotiating table for the last few weeks.
If he migrates, paid his "bank holiday"—a day off without working—into the nearest parliament building for six months, and then leaves everything up to neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn instead of setting out to make a deal, he'll lose the support of his own party and potentially lose the vote if he even opens his mouth.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras hasn't been at the negotiating table for the last few weeks, so he
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