Coming off successful back-to-back launches, the Virgin Orbit team has settled into a steady flight preparation rhythm with LauncherOne. The fully assembled rocket that will carry our next customers’ satellites to space arrived early Monday morning at the Mojave Air and Space Port that serves as all the spaceport we need. Already, the rocket has been mated to the customized 747 that serves as our flying launch pad, mobile mission control, and fully re-usable first stage all at once.With our pre-launch preparation now officially underway, we’re delighted to tell you more about our next mission, which is on track to launch later this year. On the heels of our flawless Tubular Bells, Part One mission in June, which sounded our new era of routine commercial flights to orbit, our happy Tubular Bells customers have now become our first repeat clients. We’re working with some old friends, but headed to some new places.We invite you to turn your attention skyward, to a mission we have dubbed Above the Clouds.Mission Manifest:The U.S. Department of Defense, which is launching eight Research and Development (R&D) satellites from multiple government agencies that are experiments in space-based communications and in-space navigation, as well as a university payload sponsored by NASA. This launch, also known as STP-VP27B, was awarded to Virgin Orbit through our subsidiary VOX Space by the DoD’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) as part of the DoD Space Test Program’s (STP) Rapid Agile Launch (RALI) Initiative. DIU is an organization working to accelerate the adoption of commercial technology into the U.S. military to strengthen national security.Polish company SatRevolution, which is launching two nanosatellites: STORK-3 and SteamSat-2. STORK-3 joins the STORK-4 and STORK-5 Marta satellites placed in orbit on our June 2021 mission as part of the SatRevolution’s Earth-observation capabilities, with a focus on serving customers in the agricultural sector to take medium-resolution photos. SteamSat-2 is a technology demonstrated for SteamJet Space System (UK)’s innovative water-fueled thrusters for in-space propulsion.https://virginorbit.com/the-latest/introducing-our-next-mission-above-the-clouds/
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA-OFFSHORE CALIFORNIA-HAZARDOUS OPERATIONSVirgin Orbit be launching a two stage rocket from offshore Channel Islands, CA, on 02 Dec 21. The Coast Guard is issuing an advisory for potentialfalling debris encompassing all navigable waters from the surface to the seafloor within the following coordinates:Northern Area:27-25-09N 116-59-11W27-55-18N 116-04-53W33-04-29N 121-03-27W32-47-46N 121-34-27WSouthern Area:20-19-08N 112-42-51W21-37-57N 110-57-12W24-42-06N 113-37-22W23-26-55N 115-08-19WLaunch is scheduled to commence 10:00am until 2:00pm on 02 Dec 21. Alternate launch dates due to weather are 03-06 Dec 21. Advisory of thezone will be advertised via Broadcast Notice to Mariners. Mariners are requested to transit the area with caution. For more details or commentscontact LTJG Gabe LaMartina at 510-437-5984.
Three days from launch; any new news?
Quote from: zubenelgenubi on 11/29/2021 06:21 pmThree days from launch; any new news?The USCG notice has apparently been removed from the latest version of local warning messages (https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/lnms/lnm11472021.pdf) so I guess the launch has been delayed.
That file includes a notice for some other hazardous operation out of Vandy.
These launches are coordinated by the Western Range?Vandenberg, California air launches, Kodiak?Quote from: Ken the Bin on 11/30/2021 07:40 pmThat file includes a notice for some other hazardous operation out of Vandy.
...carrying eight small satellites for the U.S. military’s Space Test Program and two small satellites for the Polish company SatRevolution.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA-OFFSHORE CALIFORNIA-HAZARDOUS OPERATIONSVirgin Orbit will be launching a two stage rocket from offshore Channel Islands, CA, on 22 Dec 21. Due to the potential for falling debris the CoastGuard is issuing an advisory encompassing all navigable waters from the surface to the seafloor within the following coordinates:Northern Area:27-25-09N 116-59-11W27-55-18N 116-04-53W33-04-29N 121-03-27W32-47-46N 121-34-27WSouthern Area:20-19-08N 112-42-51W21-37-57N 110-57-12W24-42-06N 113-37-22W23-26-55N 115-08-19WLaunch is scheduled to commence 2:00pm until 5:00pm on 22 Dec 21. Alternate launch dates due to weather are from 2:00pm until 5:15pm on 23Dec 21 and 08-10 Jan 21. Advisory of the zone will be advertised via Broadcast Notice to Mariners. Mariners are requested to transit the area withcaution. For more details or comments contact LTJG Gabe LaMartina at 510-437-5984.
From today's USCG District 11 Local Notice to Mariners:Quote from: USCGSOUTHERN CALIFORNIA-OFFSHORE CALIFORNIA-HAZARDOUS OPERATIONSVirgin Orbit will be launching a two stage rocket from offshore Channel Islands, CA, on 22 Dec 21. Due to the potential for falling debris the CoastGuard is issuing an advisory encompassing all navigable waters from the surface to the seafloor within the following coordinates:Northern Area:27-25-09N 116-59-11W27-55-18N 116-04-53W33-04-29N 121-03-27W32-47-46N 121-34-27WSouthern Area:20-19-08N 112-42-51W21-37-57N 110-57-12W24-42-06N 113-37-22W23-26-55N 115-08-19WLaunch is scheduled to commence 2:00pm until 5:00pm on 22 Dec 21. Alternate launch dates due to weather are from 2:00pm until 5:15pm on 23Dec 21 and 08-10 Jan 21. Advisory of the zone will be advertised via Broadcast Notice to Mariners. Mariners are requested to transit the area withcaution. For more details or comments contact LTJG Gabe LaMartina at 510-437-5984.
https://spacenews.com/virgin-orbit-adds-spire-satellite-to-next-launch/QuoteVirgin Orbit announced Dec. 9 that Spire’s ADLER-1 three-unit cubesat had been added to the manifest for that upcoming launch, called “Above the Clouds” by Virgin Orbit. The satellite, whose name is derived from Austrian Debris Detection Low Earth (orbit) Reconnoiter, was developed in partnership with the Austrian Space Forum and Findus Venture GmbH. It will collect data on the environment of “micro” space debris in low Earth orbit using a short-range radar provided by Spire.[dated Dec 10]
Virgin Orbit announced Dec. 9 that Spire’s ADLER-1 three-unit cubesat had been added to the manifest for that upcoming launch, called “Above the Clouds” by Virgin Orbit. The satellite, whose name is derived from Austrian Debris Detection Low Earth (orbit) Reconnoiter, was developed in partnership with the Austrian Space Forum and Findus Venture GmbH. It will collect data on the environment of “micro” space debris in low Earth orbit using a short-range radar provided by Spire.
As 2021 comes towards an end, we're busier than ever! This week, we completed our final launch rehearsal for our upcoming Above the Clouds launch, scheduled for January 12. That successful test has us heading into the holiday season with excellent momentum and high confidence.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA-OFFSHORE CALIFORNIA-HAZARDOUS OPERATIONSVirgin Orbit will be launching a two stage rocket from offshore Channel Islands, CA, on 12 January, 2022. Due to the potential for falling debris the Coast Guard is issuing an advisory encompassing all navigable waters from the surface to the seafloor within the following coordinates:Northern Area:27-25-09N 116-59-11W27-55-18N 116-04-53W33-04-29N 121-03-27W32-47-46N 121-34-27WSouthern Area:20-19-08N 112-42-51W21-37-57N 110-57-12W24-42-06N 113-37-22W23-26-55N 115-08-19WLaunch is scheduled to commence 2:00pm until 5:00pm on 12 January, 2022. Alternate launch dates due to weather are from 2:00pm until 5:15pm on 13 January, 2022 and 14 January, 2022. Advisory of the zone will be advertised via Broadcast Notice to Mariners. Mariners are requested to transit the area with caution. For more details or comments contact LTJG Gabe LaMartina at 510-437-5984.
