Virgin Galactic’s plans to take small commercial satellites into space took on a new twist this week — on-demand flights via an airliner that would serve as mothership for launching its new space vehicle, LauncherOne.During a ceremony in Texas, Virgin founder Richard Branson unveiled “Cosmic Girl,” a Boeing 747 transferred from his Virgin Atlantic airline. The jet would be modified to carry LauncherOne under its left wing, from where the vehicle would blast into orbit. Virgin Galactic says the 747, which has been used in other NASA space launch missions, offers carrying capacity, long-range flying in various weather, and plenty of available parts and maintenance resources.
In February, Virgin Galactic said its WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft would take LauncherOne to altitude, but Branson said Thursday said the B747 would keep WhiteKnightTwo dedicated to the company’s human spaceflight program. With the Boeing jet, the concept would be the same—satellite launches on short notice. “You need to be able to send a plane up with 24 hours notice,” Branson told the Washington Post at Thursday’s unveiling. “If you’re waiting for one of these giant rockets to put small satellites into space, you sometimes have to wait six months, or a year.”LauncherOne is under development in Long Beach, California, where Virgin Galactic set up shop earlier this year. The company says it plans to offer satellite launches for less than $10 million.
