Virgin Orbit, the orbital launch spin-off of Virgin Galactic, has won a launch contract from Cloud Constellation for the launch of 12 satellites in its proposed SpaceBelt constellation. Virgin Orbit’s air-launched LauncherOne rocket will deploy the satellites – a form of space-based cloud storage satellite system – into a low inclination low Earth orbit (LEO). The idea of the space-based cloud storage system is that it will be separated, and hence more secure, from the terrestrial communications infrastructure. The first launch of the satellites is expected to take place in 2019.
Virgin Orbit is in the process of qualification and test flight for the LauncherOne service, which includes both a two-stage expendable rocket and a fully-reusable air-launch rocket release by Cosmic Girl, its Boeing 747 “stage zero” aircraft. The system is designed to provide highly responsive, reliable and affordable flights to LEO for small satellites.
