Virgin Orbit is getting ready to launch its next mission by the end of June. This is the first time that Virgin Orbit is flying after its first orbital launch in January.
Nanoracks launches two CubeSats on NG-15 Cygnus
02/23/2021 2 Minutes Read
The NG-15 Cygnus spacecraft berthed with the International Space Station (ISS), carrying two CubeSats in the Nanoracks External Cygnus Deployer (E-NRCSD). The Cygnus arrived at the ISS after launching from Wallops Flight Facility Pad 0A on February 22, 2021 at 17:36 UTC. In celebration of Black History Month, the NG-15 Cygnus has been named in honor of Katherine Johnson, a NASA mathematician who had a vital role in early human space flight missions.
This launch is Nanoracks’ ninth mission providing opportunities for CubeSat deployment from the Cygnus. The CubeSats onboard today’s launch, IT-SPINS and MySat-2 (DhabiSat), were built by students and researchers at Montana State University and Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi.
Spaceflight Insider
Cullen Desforges
January 18th, 2021
Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne successfully ignites its engine moments after being dropped by a carrier aircraft to begin its flight toward orbit. Credit: Virgin Orbit
After several hours filled with hopeful anticipation, California-based company Virgin Orbit successfully air-launched its LauncherOne rocket Jan. 17 over the Mojave Desert.
Virgin Orbit confirmed in a series of tweets that the launch vehicle successfully separated from the company’s 747 carrier aircraft “Cosmic Girl” at 11:39 a.m. PST (7:39 p.m. UTC) and had begun the climb to space.
There was confirmation of a successful orbit, however the company initially appeared to remain silent on whether the second stage burn of rocket had been achieved in order to release its payloads into nominal orbit.
Virgin Orbit, earlier this morning, has launched their own developed rocket named LauncherOne on to the lower part of the Earth's orbit. This also marks the very first successful launch that was done by the company itself.
This is a HUGE milestone. Virgin rocket launches Cal Poly mini satellite into space Mackenzie Shuman, The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, Calif.)
Jan. 17 A Cal Poly nanosatellite was successfully launched into space Sunday morning for a NASA mission, according to Virgin Orbit, the company tasked with carrying out the initiative.
The launch was originally scheduled to happen on Wednesday, Jan. 13, but was delayed because Virgin Orbit just had a bit more work (final checkouts, etc.) to complete, and we didn t want to rush anything, Kendall Russell, communications director for the company, wrote in an email to The Tribune.
The ExoCube 2 is a CubeSat device, a miniaturized satellite that was built over several years by a group of 50 Cal Poly students.