After several unsuccessful attempts to launch a rocket into space from the aircraft, the Virgin Orbit company did not surrender and on January 17, 2021 still could not only start the launch of the Launcherone missile from the aircraft, but also to withdraw 10 small satellites to the Earth's orbit to study the cascaling. Satellites were provided by the Mission of Nasa Launch Service Program specifically for this rocket. Thus, Virgin Orbit has become one of the few in the world who has launched a rocket into space in an unusual way. And how do you, Ilon Mask?
Launch rocket from an airplane
Virgin Orbit did not arrange a show from this event, as usually makes Spacex (and in vain), so there was no direct broadcast of the launch of the rocket. But the company's smokers were rather emotionally unsubscribed on her twitter about each stage of the flight - from a successful separation from the aircraft and start the engines before entering the orbit and the removal of satellites.
The flight passed as follows. To start, the Boeing 747-400 aircraft was used, which Virgin Orbit gently called Cosmic Girl. Only this is not an ordinary modification and not even simple freight, but a specially created version of this aircraft to start the rocket. Under its wings, special attachments were installed to hold the rocket, which can release it at any desired moment.
The plane flew from the airfield in the Mojave desert and headed towards the Pacific Ocean. Flying 150 kilometers over the ocean in 1 hour and 7 minutes the plane raised the nose sharply, put it right to lift the left wing, under which the Launcherone rocket was fixed, and dropped her over the ocean. After 3 seconds after discharge (not immediately, otherwise there is a risk of damaging the plane) The engine of the first stage was launched, and Launcherone rushed into space.
Successfully dropping the rocket, the plane made a circle and went back to the airfield. The launch was visible even from the beach nearby.
@Virgin_orbit Launch from the Beach pic.twitter.com/cqcgkcl4qr.
- Erik Franks (@erikjfranks) January 17, 2021
After half an hour after that, the second stage came out the target orbit, the engine of the upper stage (NewTonfour) turned off the plan and was to be restarted, with which there were difficulties. At the same time, a payload team was given. The engine failed to run again, but the rocket still brought into space 10 korage machines.
Launching launcherone missile
Virgin Orbit tried several times to run a rocket into space from the aircraft, but each time fails. In 2019, the rocket did not include engines and simply fell into the United States Air Force. Later, the company reported that the fall was planned in advance - the engineers wanted to find out what was happening with the plane and a rocket after separation.
However, in May last 2020, the new launch really became failed. The rocket, which was supposed to go straight from Boeing 747, fell into the Pacific Ocean.
At that time, the engine started, but because of the "unforeseen problems", about which the company's engineers were silent, Launcherone was crashed. For the company, it turned out to be a serious loss, because at the second stage of the rocket there were a lot of tools and sensors who had to help explore her behavior during the flight.
And now, the beginning of 2021, nevertheless brought Virgin Orbit. Good luck - Launcherone saw space for the first time and even brought useful load into orbit. The following satellites provided by NASA and American universities were among the Kazatov:
- CACTUS-1 - to track the cosmic garbage;
- CAPE-3 and MITEE - Satellites of educational programs of American universities;
- Exocube-3 - to study the Earth Exosphere;
- Two pics satellites;
- Radiometer PolarCube;
- Q-PACE - for carrying out experiments under low gravity conditions;
- RADFXSAT-2 - for cosmic observations;
- Techedsat-7 - NASA KUBSAT mission.
Of course, it is too early to talk about a person's flights into space on the Virgin Orbit rockets, but Spacex started at one time from launching satellites. And now Mights prepares mission to Mars.
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Why start the rocket from the plane?
There are actually several reasons. First, it is economically profitable - no need to build a cosmodrome to launch a rocket. It is suitable for any airfield with a strip of sufficient length, since Virgin Orbit uses a modification of Boeing 747-400, and this model is used by airlines around the world. Secondly, the start from the height allows the rocket to connect the first 10 kilometers of height with the highest density of the atmosphere, that is, the plane as it would "help" to orbit it.For 25 years, in this way, they launch the Pegasus XL missile from the Lockheed L-1011 Stargazer plane.
At the same time, if you compare the approach of Virgin Orbit and Spacex, the company Ilona Mask still arrives more rationally. Although the Falcon missiles need cosmodromes, they can be reused, while the Launcherone rocket is "disposable". In addition, Launcherone's carrying capacity is slightly less than that of Falcon 9. Virgin Orbit does not disclose the launch cost, and if it is not too different from Spacex, there is no point in running the rocket from the aircraft. Is that for the sake of spectacular video.
COSMIC GIRL Test Flight in 2019
Where did the Virgin Orbit come from?
Virgin Orbit and Virgin Galactic are based on one of the richest people of Britain, Richard Branson. For their own life, the entrepreneur founded more than 400 companies providing a variety of services. Now his main passion is space missions. Space flights that he wants to hold for everyone (even for himself) will cost from 250 thousand dollars. Interestingly, the people of Branson also will run on the rocket from the plane?