Virgin Orbit makes modifications to Boeing 747 for satellite launches
Virgin Orbit has begun making final modifications to a Boeing 747 passenger jet, which will eventually launch the LauncherOne rocket from the sky. This rocket is intended to put relatively small satellites of less than 500 kg into orbit around the earth.
The Boeing 747, named ‘Cosmic Girl’, has now arrived in Long Beach, the US headquarters of Virgin Orbit. The final modifications will be made there to prepare the aircraft for tests on the ground and in the air. The first soil tests will begin in August.
The company has been inspecting and modifying the Boeing 747-400 for more than a year, according to the CEO of Virgin Orbit, which has already removed some 31,000 kg of weight from the interior of the aircraft. This is necessary because all kinds of electrical systems have to be added to launch the LauncherOne. According to Virgin Orbit, the plane has now received permission from the American regulator FAA to make test flights.
Finally, a carrier pylon has to be attached to a wing, which in turn has the LauncherOne two-stage rocket attached to. The Boeing 747 is planned to fly to an altitude of more than 10 km, where the LauncherOne will be launched to launch satellites into orbit.
By launching the rocket from this height, rather than using a regular launch pad on the ground, Virgin Orbit has more flexibility for its launch schedule, as it doesn’t have to compete with other launches. In addition, a launch from a height of 10 km means that adverse weather conditions can be avoided.
Launching the LauncherOne is no easy feat. The rocket has two rocket motors and will be full of fuel during the flight phase under the wing of the Boeing 747. This makes flying Cosmic Girl difficult due to the considerable weight of the rocket and the extra drag it will create. In addition, the nose of the aircraft must be positioned at a relatively extreme angle, pointing upwards, towards the atmosphere, so that LauncherOne can actually be launched vertically.
Virgin Orbit was founded in early March 2017 as an independent part of the Virgin Group. It is a former division of Virgin Galactic, the part that wants to offer manned space flights to paying customers.