Space Systems Command and Long Beach-based Virgin Orbit National Systems, a US-incorporated, wholly-owned subsidiary of Virgin Orbit, efficiently air-launched seven Department of Defense Research and Development satellites for the U.S. Space Force on the corporate’s LauncherOne rocket, after taking off on July 1st from Mojave Air and Space Port, California.
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The nighttime mission, designated STP-S28A, demonstrated commercially out there options to position Space Force satellite tv for pc capabilities on-orbit, offering flexibility and resiliency for the Space Force and warfighter necessities in an more and more contested setting.
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“Congratulations to the STP team and our mission partners on today’s successful launch,” mentioned Brig. Gen. Timothy Sejba, program government officer for Space Domain and Combat Power, which manages the DoD Space Test Program. “The STP team continues to demonstrate how agile access to space enables us to quickly and affordably prove out new R&D technology on-orbit, accelerating the development of our future, more resilient, space architecture.”
“I’m thrilled with [this] successful launch,” mentioned Lt. Col. Jonathan Shea, director of the DoD Space Test Program. “Cost effective space access is key to the U.S. Space Force’s pivot to a more resilient space architecture. This launch with Virgin Orbit exemplifies SSC’s commitment to expanding partnerships with innovative companies and accelerating the delivery of future capabilities for the Warfighter.”
According to Shea, these new house autos will contribute to the nation’s protection and achieve floor towards any adversaries working within the extremely contested house area.
Space Systems Command, headquartered at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, California, is the U.S. Space Force area command liable for quickly growing, buying, equipping, fielding and sustaining deadly and resilient house capabilities. SSC mission functionality areas embrace launch acquisition and operations, communications and positioning, navigation and timing (PNT), house sensing, battle administration command, management and communications (BMC3), and house area consciousness & fight energy.
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Virgin Orbit (Nasdaq: VORB) has confirmed the success of the corporate’s fourth, consecutive, satellite tv for pc launch mission named Straight Up which carried seven satellites to LEO for the United States Space Force (USSF), who procured this launch for the Rocket Systems Launch Program, with payloads supplied by the Department of Defense Space Test Program (STP). In assist of its mission partners, Virgin Orbit has now delivered a complete of thirty-three satellites to orbit with 100% mission success.
Virgin Orbit’s totally cell LauncherOne system carried out its first ever night flight from a naked concrete pad and a runway on the Mojave Air and Space Port in California. The launch started at 10:50 p.m. native time, Friday, July 1, and concluded with the profitable deployment of all seven payloads at roughly 12:55 a.m. Pacific on the morning of July 2, finishing the corporate’s first nighttime demonstration of the corporate’s responsive house launch capabilities.
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The launch reached an orbit roughly 500 km. above the Earth’s floor at 45 levels inclination. This was Virgin Orbit’s second time reaching that inclination — an orbit that no different system has ever reached from the West Coast.
The seven satellites deployed by the results of the Straight Up launch are from a number of authorities businesses and can facilitate experiments meant to display modern spacecraft applied sciences, new approaches for satellite tv for pc purposes, and Earth atmospheric science.
The contract to launch this mission, additionally dubbed STP-S28, was awarded to Virgin Orbit National Systems in April of 2020 by the United States Space Force as a three-launch mission. STP-S28A is the primary of these launches.
The Straight Up launch marked the corporate’s fourth profitable industrial flight. The U.S. Space Force Rocket Systems Launch Program is a first-time buyer for Virgin Orbit. The U.S. Department of Defense Space Test Program is a three-time repeat buyer of Virgin Orbit. Photo Credit: Virgin Orbit / Daniel Jarvis, Mark Waker
“The LauncherOne rocket and Virgin Orbit team have made me immensely proud with today’s Straight Up mission,” mentioned Virgin Orbit founder, Richard Branson. “There is so much potential benefit for everyone from space if we just manage it well together. We are delighted for the opportunity to work with the US government to help make space a safe and fruitful environment for all.”
“We are honored to be supporting and delivering for the U.S. Space Force and the U.S. Department of Defense at such a critical juncture for national security space, our nation, and our world. An incredibly talented Virgin Orbit team and our LauncherOne system continue to demonstrate a track record of success for our spacecraft customers and that was confirmed again today,” mentioned Virgin Orbit CEO, Dan Hart.
“I’m proud to be part of this incredible team, both on our side and the government team, in driving this mission to success,” mentioned Mark Baird, President of Virgin Orbit National System, the subsidiary that interfaces with the National Security prospects. “It was incredible to see the Straight Up mission wheels up, and satellites successfully deployed to support the mission of our customers. We are intensely focused on ensuring we are a key mission partner as we continue to accelerate the operationalization of the LauncherOne system.”
Following the success of this launch, the Virgin Orbit crew is making ready for its first worldwide launch later this yr in collaboration with the United Kingdom Space Agency, the Royal Air Force, and Space Port Cornwall. This would be the first orbital launch from UK soil.
Virgin Orbit (Nasdaq: VORB) operates one of the crucial versatile and responsive house launch techniques ever constructed. Founded by Sir Richard Branson in 2017, the corporate started industrial service in 2021, and has already delivered industrial, civil, nationwide safety, and worldwide satellites into orbit. Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rockets are designed and manufactured in Long Beach, California, and are air-launched from a modified 747-400 service plane that permits Virgin Orbit to function from areas all around the world with a view to finest serve every buyer’s wants. Learn extra at www.virginorbit.com and go to us on LinkedIn, on Twitter @virginorbit, and on Instagram @virgin.orbit.
Former posting…
Virgin Orbit National Systems has halted the launch of the Space Test Program (STP)-S28A launch as a result of noting that the LauncherOne‘s rocket propellant temperature was ‘barely out of bounds.” The rocket is being unloaded and might be recycled for an additional launch try within the coming days.
Space Systems Command is making ready to air-launch the STP-S28A mission on June twenty ninth to ship seven payloads for the DoD Space Test Program off the Southern California coast to an orbit of 500 kilometers at a forty five diploma inclination.
These experimental payloads allow the event of a variety of applied sciences supporting the long run warfighter. On-orbit demonstrations embrace a modular platform for supporting system growth, Intelligence Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR) and Proximity Operations of SmallSats, next-generation Radio Frequency (RF) communications and information routing, and analysis in Earth sciences.
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Virgin Orbit National Systems is about to deploy the payloads into orbit on its LauncherOne rocket, designed and manufactured in Long Beach, California.
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They might be air-launched from Virgin Orbit’s 747-400 service plane, dubbed “Cosmic Girl,” after taking off from Mojave Air and Space Port and flying a prescribed aerial “racetrack” course over the Pacific Ocean.
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STP-S28A is managed by the DoD Space Test Program that delivers experimental demonstrations of recent capabilities and expedient house entry options for analysis and growth experiments. SSC’s Space Domain Awareness & Combat Power, Innovation and Prototyping Delta at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, administers the DoD STP.
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Space Systems Command procured this launch by means of the Rocket Systems Launch Program (RSLP).
“We are excited to partner with Virgin Orbit National Systems for the launch of the STP-S28A mission for the DoD Space Test Program,” mentioned Lt. Col. Justin Beltz, chief of Space Systems Command’s Small Launch and Targets division. “RSLP and STP have a long history of working together to support Department of Defense science & technology efforts. The entire team has worked tirelessly to prepare for this upcoming launch, and we look forward to getting the Space Test Program’s payloads where they need to be on-orbit.”
Space Systems Command, headquartered at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, California, is the U.S. Space Force area command liable for quickly growing, buying, equipping, fielding and sustaining deadly and resilient house capabilities. SSC mission functionality areas embrace launch acquisition and operations, communications and positioning, navigation and timing (PNT), house sensing, battle administration command, management and communications (BMC3), and house area consciousness & fight energy.