LauncherOne
LauncherOne was a two-stage, all–liquid-fueled orbital launch vehicle developed by Virgin Orbit between 2007 and 2023. It was the first operational air-launched orbital rocket using exclusively liquid propulsion. The vehicle was approximately 21 m long and was designed to place payloads of up to about 300 kg into low Earth orbit (LEO) following release at high altitude from a modified Boeing 747-400 carrier aircraft known as Cosmic Girl.
LauncherOne was mounted on a pylon beneath the carrier aircraft’s left wing and released over the ocean at a location selected to achieve the desired inclination. Air launch offered several advantages, including reduced sensitivity to ground-level weather, avoidance of upper-level wind constraints affecting vertical launches, and operational flexibility through the use of conventional long-runway airports, subject to regulatory approval.
The first LauncherOne flight, a test mission conducted on 25 May 2020 from Mojave Air and Space Port, failed shortly after release. The first successful mission occurred on 17 January 2021, delivering ten CubeSats to orbit. Three subsequent launches also successfully reached orbit, and the first four successful missions deployed a total of 33 satellites. All of these launches were conducted from Mojave.
The sixth launch attempt took place on 9 January 2023 from Spaceport Cornwall. Although the carrier aircraft released LauncherOne on schedule, the rocket experienced a failure during the second-stage engine burn. Virgin Orbit later confirmed that a fuel filter had become dislodged during flight, reducing fuel flow to the NewtonFour engine. This resulted in overheating, subsequent component failures, and premature shutdown of second-stage thrust. The failure led to the loss of the launch vehicle and all nine payloads on board, including satellites for the UK Ministry of Defence and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.
In May 2023, Virgin Orbit announced that it had been unable to secure additional funding and would cease operations, following the filing for bankruptcy protection in April 2023. The company’s assets, including the Cosmic Girl carrier aircraft, were sold to multiple bidders for approximately USD 36 million, representing a small fraction of the company’s peak valuation. Stratolaunch, which employs a similar air-launch concept, was among the bidders for the carrier aircraft.