Virgin Orbit ready LauncherOne rocket for maiden flight

[Chris Bergin]

New baseline article to line us up for the missions!

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/06/virgin-orbit-launcherone-maiden-flight/ …

- by Michael Baylor

[Paul Howard]

Have they set a date for the first flight with the launcher under Cosmic Girl's wing?

[Tomness]

I wonder if Launcher One & Cosmic Girl could launch from Guiana Space Center get a zero degree inclination for GTO Launch?

[edzieba]

Kourou airport can support the 747 Freighter and the Beluga, so unless Cosmic Girl requires an unusually long takeoff roll it would just need whatever ground support building to be built/acquired for payload integration & fuelling prior to takeoff.

[Jim]

I wonder if Launcher One & Cosmic Girl could launch from Guiana Space Center get a zero degree inclination for GTO Launch?

Why?  It can fly from the Cape or Kwaj to the equator to perform the mission.

[rosbif73]

I wonder if Launcher One & Cosmic Girl could launch from Guiana Space Center get a zero degree inclination for GTO Launch?

Why?  It can fly from the Cape or Kwaj to the equator to perform the mission.

What about LOX boiloff on the flight? Micheal's article says that the carrier aircraft will eventually be able to provide LOX servicing, but in the meantime I would assume that such long pre-launch flights would be problematic from that point of view.

[Jim]

What about LOX boiloff on the flight? Chris's article says that the carrier aircraft will eventually be able to provide LOX servicing, but in the meantime I would assume that such long pre-launch flights would be problematic from that point of view.

Define "long"

[rosbif73]

Define "long"

You mentioned the Cape or Kwaj. Converting latitude to distance as a very rough approximation, Cape Canaveral to equator = 3100 km, and optimistically assuming standard 747 max cruise speed, that's something like 3.5 hours - is that not "long" enough for boiloff to become an issue? (Kwaj is somewhat closer to the equator, admittedly).

[gongora]

1124-EX-ST-2018   

Virgin Orbit, LLC
Explanation of Experiment:
Virgin Orbit LLC (“Virgin Orbit”) is requesting “Special Temporary Authority (STA)” to operate an S-Band
Transmitter at 2287.5MHz. If 2287.5 MHzis unavailable Virgin Orbit is open to any frequency within 2200-
2290MHz band.

The objective of the experiment is the following.
- Receive Telemetry data from Launcher One’s S-Band Transmitter during Launcher One’s drop test
(Drop test rocket will not be fueled or powered).
- Test the RF link between Launcher One’s S-Band telemetry transmitter and 747 aircraft’s S-Band
receiver & receive only Long Beach Ground Station.

747 aircraft will take-off from either one of the two airports shown in Figure 3 with Launcher One rocket
in captive carry. S-Band transmitter will be turned on in R2508, R2515, W289S and W291 airspaces (shown
in Figure 2). Virgin Orbit is coordinating the use of the above mentioned airspaces with the concerned
authorities. R2515 is being considered for rocket drop and we are coordinating with the concerned
authorities.

Two different data rates will be tested at the same assigned frequency. Launcher One transmitter will only
be turned on within the requested areas. Virgin Orbit will have the ability to turn the Launcher One
transmitter on and off from the 747 Aircraft while in captive carry. The 747 might be flown to a maximum
altitude of up to 40,000 ft. The transmitter will be turned on, at the ground at requested airport locations
(Figure 3) for RF checkouts.

We plan to start the testing by July 23rd 2018, and the aircraft is expected to be flown multiple times
during the six month period after the STA license is granted.

The S-Band Transmitter will not be turned on without prior co-ordination with DoD WAFC. Exact date and
time of the testing will be flexible based on DoD coordination.

[Michael Baylor]

1124-EX-ST-2018   

This comes out the day after the article goes up. Great timing!