Branson’s space missile
Virgin tycoon unveils rocket that’ll blast off... via a jumbo jet
CAPABLE of travelling at more than 20 times the speed of sound, this is the rocket that Sir Richard Branson hopes will launch commercial satellites into space – with a little help from one of his jumbo jets.
The Virgin tycoon yesterday revealed pictures of the rocket being attached – or ‘mated’ – for the first time to a specially modified 747 in Long Beach, California.
The idea is for the 747 to carry the rocket – known as LauncherOne – to 35,000ft, before it blasts off with its payload into orbit. Engineers at Sir Richard’s satellite firm Virgin Orbit have carried out checks to ensure that the mechanics, electrics and software of the rocket and the jumbo – dubbed Cosmic Girl – work together.
The 70ft rocket will travel at speeds of 17,500mph – sound travels at 767mph. The jet, once part of Virgin Atlantic’s fleet, has undergone 16 months of modification work and tests.
This has included stripping out its seats to reduce weight and reinforcing its left wing so it can carry the rocket, which weighs as much as 25 small family cars.
The first test flights are set to take place early next year. The plane will fly to an altitude of around 35,000ft, at which point LauncherOne will detach and its thrusters will engage, taking the rocket into outer space.
Once the satellites, from the size of a loaf a bread to a fridge have been put into orbit, the redundant rocket drifts off into space.
Describing the successful pairing with the plane as an ‘incredibly exciting moment’, Sir Richard said it meant the first test flights have moved ‘ever closer’.
He said: ‘Cosmic Girl is the first 747 in history that has been converted to launch rockets. This means it can fly thousands of miles in any direction at 24 hours’ notice to deliver the right orbit.’ Virgin Orbit aims to deliver everything from the internet – even in the most remote regions – to advanced weather tracking systems to help combat climate change.
Currently satellites are launched into space by rockets from launchpads on the ground, which is expensive and time-consuming.
Virgin began looking into how to send commercial satellites into space more cheaply and at short notice less than a decade ago. It already boasts hundreds of millions of dollars of contracts with customers including Nasa, the US Department of Defence and small start-up companies.
One firm has asked it to send up a constellation of small satellites to help air traffic controllers and shipping companies track private jets and boats. Another company has asked Virgin Orbit to set up data storage centres in space.
Other rockets are already being built at Virgin Orbit’s rocket factory near Long Beach Airport. Sir Richard is locked in a space race with fellow billionaires Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder, and Tesla’s Elon Musk. All three have set up companies to send satellites and tourists into space.
Speaking earlier this month, Branson said the first commercial flight by his space tourism firm Virgin Galactic should be launched ‘in months and not years’.