Virgin Orbit launches 7 satellites in first night mission

WASHINGTON: Billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit has successfully launched seven satellites to low Earth orbit for the United States Space Force (USSF) in its fourth consecutive satellite launch mission, and first conducted during night.

The launch, named Straight Up, began at 10:50 p.m. local time on July 1 (8:20 am IST), and concluded with the successful deployment of all seven payloads at approximately 12:55 a.m. Pacific (1:25 pm IST) on July 2, the company said in a statement.

Virgin Orbit's fully mobile LauncherOne system conducted its first ever evening flight from a bare concrete pad and a runway at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California. The launch reached an orbit approximately 500 km above the Earth's surface at 45 degrees inclination. This was Virgin Orbit's second time reaching that inclination -- an orbit that no other system has ever reached from the West Coast.

The seven satellites deployed by the Straight Up launch are from multiple government agencies and will facilitate experiments intended to demonstrate innovative spacecraft technologies, new approaches for satellite applications, and Earth atmospheric science, the company said.

"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," said Virgin Orbit founder Richard Branson, in a statement. (IANS)

Also Read: Astronauts may lose bone density after returning to Earth: Study

Also Watch: