One thing that doesn't seem to get discussed very often with rocket development is that after any new vehicle flies for the first time (or even during the first half a dozen times), there seems to be quite a long period of sorting out the various unexpected mechanical issues that cropped up during the flight.
The remaining qualifying competitor is a space startup comprising industry veterans currently operating in stealth mode while the company works toward internal technical milestones. The team will receive notification of the first launch site in January 2020 with the first launch window targeted for February. Virgin Orbit, which entered the competition via its wholly owned subsidiary, VOX Space, exited the competition in October to focus on its upcoming commercial launches. A third team, Vector Launch, withdrew from the Challenge in September due to a change in the company’s structure and financial status.
Seems a poorly designed race that has no winner.