Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit is set to fire seven satellites into space TODAY

Virgin Orbit is set to launch seven satellites into space when the RAF pilot “Stanny” unleashes the LauncherOne rocket from a Boeing 747.

Richard BransonThe space company will put a small satellite into orbit for 310 miles and launch it from the Mojave Air & Space Port. California From 16:00 ET (21:00 GMT).

The jet will fly up to 35,000 feet per hour over the Pacific Ocean before deploying the LauncherOne rocket and the approximately 660-pound satellites it contains.

The launch, bearing the mission name “On the Clouds,” will be one of the first launches to orbit this 45 degrees 310 miles from the West Coast of the United States.

This includes US Department of Defense satellites, which are space-based communications and in-space navigation experiments.

Royal Air Force pilot Matthew Stanard, known as “Stanny” accustomed to Typhoon Jet, will be responsible for maneuvering the Cosmic Girl of a customized Boeing 747 launcher.

Known as “Stanny,” RAF pilot Matthew Stanard is accustomed to Typhoon jets and is under the control of a customized Boeing 747 launcher, the Cosmic Girl.

Virgin Orbit has already launched 19 satellites into space using the Cosmic Girl and Launcher-One systems, but the company says the mission is different.

Virgin Orbit Chief Operating Officer Tony Gingis told reporters, “From the West Coast, we’re on a path that we believe has never been achieved.”

“This launch proves that we can reach the orbital inclination and geometry. Perhaps if we asked us a year ago, we would say,” Well, maybe. ”

At launch, the team will send the rocket to an orbital position of 310 miles at a 45 degree tilt. This is achieved by shifting the drop point.

Danhart, Virgin Orbit’s President and Chief Executive Officer, told SpaceNews:

“Our ability to achieve a 45 degree tilt from the west coast greatly enhances the usefulness of launching from the west coast.”

The pilot “Stanny” will trigger a 70-foot rocket when the aircraft reaches 35,000 feet. He has been seconded from the Royal Air Force for three years as part of a project designed to help the RAF understand the role of small satellite launches.

“Stanny has made a great addition to our team. Given his background at the RAF, he has world-class pilot skills, plus bright intelligence, amazing attention to detail, and a great experience base. “Brings,” Virgin Orbit Chief Operating Officer Tony Gingis told the BBC. ..

His secondment is part of an extensive investigation by the British Ministry of Defense and will one day use Virgin Orbit to launch a military satellite from the United Kingdom.

This is the third launch of Cosmic Girl and LauncherOne and one of the satellites manufactured by Glasgow’s company Spire Global. It was the last addition to the payload, tracking weather conditions from orbit, movement of ships and planes.

Virgin Orbit states that the ability to add satellites in a relatively short period of time (decided in December) is an example of its responsiveness and flexibility.

Another example is the fact that it is a horizontal takeoff system. That is, you can fire from the runway and fly to the desired insertion point.

This is the first of Virgin Orbit’s planned six launches this year, two of which will be launched from Spaceport Cornwall in the middle of the year.

The jet will fly up to 35,000 feet per hour over the Pacific Ocean before deploying the LauncherOne rocket and the approximately 660-pound satellites it contains.

The launch, bearing the mission name “On the Clouds,” will be one of the first launches to orbit this 45 degrees 310 miles from the West Coast of the United States.

These are the first satellites and first rockets launched from British soil and form part of the broader propulsion by the British Space Agency for the launch of British rockets.

Future satellites may be sent into polar orbit from northern Scotland, including the Shetland Islands. In the Shetland Islands, many companies, including Lockheed Martin and Skylora, plan to operate within the next few years.

In order to launch six times in 2022, Virgin Orbit will need to significantly extend its turnaround time on this mission after the last six and a half months.

“In almost every continuous launch so far, we’ve basically cut it in half,” Gingus said. For this mission, the rocket left its factory in Long Beach, California at 04:00, 6 It was installed on the 747 in Mojave some time later. ..

The launch includes satellites from the U.S. Department of Defense, an experiment in space-based communications and in-space navigation.

“There will certainly be improvements in timing between rockets throughout 2022,” Gingiss told SpaceNews.

“We continue to increase our efficiency in our factories, which will allow us to launch rockets faster.”

In the future, Virgin Orbit plans to add more launch sites to its roster, with Cornwall joining California in 2022 and Japan in 2023.

The company is also in talks with Australia, Brazil, many European countries, and the US Space Force operating outside Guam.