Virgin Orbit conducted the first test flight of the rocket LauncherOne
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In recent years more and more private companies are making progress in the field of launches of spacecraft into orbit. And soon after successfully launch their rockets and SpaceX , which launched its first rocket into space last week on the orbit can aim at and owned by Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit. Literally days ago in California over the Mojave desert, the company conducted the first successful test of the rocket LauncherOne.
Recall that LauncherOne — it's a pretty interesting project, which is a space launch vehicle launched into Earth orbit from the plane in the air. Payload, which is able to display LauncherOne, can reach up to 220 pounds.
At the end of October this year representatives of the company reported that for the first time, LauncherOne attached to the wing of a 747 aircraft. A week ago the plane with the wing attached to the missile drove on the runway with a speed of about 200 kilometers per hour. While held test flight was held without any announcements. Moreover, the company did not specify whether the missile attached to the plane or it is an ordinary flight. However, one of the witnesses of the launch posted a video of the departing airport and Suites of the plane with a missile under the wing.
first flight with rocket under wing! Go Virgin!!!
— Zia Aerospace (@zia_aero)
A Little later, the press service of the company confirmed that this was really the first test flight, but that is, in captive carry mode, i.e. without separation of the missile from the aircraft. The flight lasted about 90 minutes, during which the Boeing 747 flew not only over the Mojave desert, but over the spaceport, located in this area. Also, the press-service of the Virgin, Orbit claims that this is not the final test.
"we Plan a series of such flights, during which we will be collecting terabytes of valuable data about the aerodynamic characteristics, structural loading, and more. This test program will culminate in a test of the fall when the rocket is released in flight from the plane, but supposedly the engine will not start and it will fall to the Ground."
The Company did not give the date of its first launch into orbit, but Richard Branson in an interview with CNBC stated that it is tentatively to be held "in December or January."
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