Farnborough: Virgin Galactic announces new satellite launcher project

Virgin Galactic's Sir Richard Branson announced a new approach to getting satellites into low-earth orbit at the Farnborough Air Show with its LauncherOne project.
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The air-launched LauncherOne rocket will be carried aloft underneath its WhiteKnightTwo mothership before being released. A two-stage rocket engine will then ignite, taking the launcher and its payload on into space. Virgin Galactic said LauncherOne could enter commercial service in 2016.

“Virgin Galactic’s goal is to revolutionise the way we get to space,” Branson said. “I’m immensely proud of what we have already achieved as we draw near to regular sub-orbital flights on SpaceShipTwo.

"Now, LauncherOne is bringing the price of satellite launch into the realm of affordability for innovators everywhere, from start-ups and schools to established companies and national space agencies.”

Virgin Galactic announced a number of private companies have already put down deposits as future LauncherOne customers, expressing their intent to purchase a total of several dozen launches.

At the same event, Sir Richard said that plans for Virgin Galactic's Spaceport Abu Dhabi were coming together. “As the space vehicle is built in the US we have got to get the final approvals ticked by the American authorities, but that shouldn't be a problem,” he said.

Once built, Spaceport Abu Dhabi, which is backed by investment company Aabar Investments, will be a hub for space tourism, scientific research missions and education.

He added that he company has now accepted deposits for sub-orbital flights on SpaceShipTwo from 529 future astronauts worldwide - more than the total number of people who have ever been to space. Meanwhile, flight and rocket tests are continuing with passenger flights likely to begin towards the end of 2014.

You can hear an interview with Richard Branson in our Arabian Aerospace Radio podcast for Sunday 15th July 2012.