Virgin Orbit successfully launches rocket into orbit for first time

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California-based Virgin Orbit has announced the successful launch of its LauncherOne rocket into low orbit for the first time, delivering ten small satellites on behalf of NASA.

The event was a crucial milestone for the satellite launch company, demonstrating the feasibility of its "air launch" technique for transportation in space.

Virgin Orbit's novel 'air launch' concept involves the launch of a rocket from beneath the wing of a jet aircraft, instead of the traditional land-based launchpad.

The company claims the technique allows not only for an increased payload but for a more flexible and responsive service that is able to fly on short notice, taking off and landing from traditional runways, allowing for a wide range of locations for access to any orbit path.

The mission saw Virgin Orbit's specially customised 747 carrier aircraft, named 'Cosmic Girl', take off from Mojave Air and Space Port to a launch site over the Pacific Ocean. 

Following its release from the aircraft, the LauncherOne rocket ignited and sent itself into orbit where it successfully deployed 10 CubeSats into the correct orbital path on schedule, making the mission a resounding success. 

This is the second attempt for Virgin Orbit to reach space. Last May, the company made its first attempt which ended with the LauncherOne rocket beginning an automatic safety shutdown of its engines not long after detaching from Cosmic Girl.

The company says that it learned a lot from the failed attempt, including being able to identify the error that caused the engine shutdown.

The company says its next move is to "transition into commercial service for its next mission."

In 2017, Virgin Orbit was spun out of Virgin Galactic, to focus exclusively on small payload orbital launch. Virgin Galactic then devoted itself entirely to its own mission of offering commercial human spaceflight. Virgin Orbit itself create its own subsidiary earlier this year, called VOX Space, which intends to use LauncherOne to deliver small satellites to orbit specifically for the US national security market.

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