Tag: space
Virgin Orbit’s first orbital test flight cut short after rocket released from carrier aircraft
On Monday, Virgin Orbit attempted the first full flight of its orbital payload launch system, which includes a modified Boeing 747 called ‘Cosmic Girl’ that acts as a carrier aircraft for its air-launched rocket LauncherOne. While Virgin Orbit has flown Cosmic Girl and LauncherOne previously for different tests and demonstrations,…
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Max Q: Huge week ahead for SpaceX and Virgin Orbit
This week could be the biggest week to date for private spaceflight, with landmark launch attempts coming from both Virgin Orbit and SpaceX . Virgin Orbit is looking to join the elite club of private launch companies that have actually made it to space, with a full flight test of…
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You can try crowdfunded space sim ‘Star Citizen’ for free right now
Will Star Citizen ever be finished? That’s a question I doubt anyone knows the answer to right now. If you're curious about the state of the game, though, and haven't yet contributed to its absurdly-successful crowdfunding campaign, good news: it's c… Source
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China set to launch Mars probe and rover mission in July
China’s space program will launch a Mars mission in July, according to its current plans. This will include deploying an orbital probe to study the red planet, and a robotic, remotely-controlled rover for surface exploration. The U.S. has also been planning another robotic rover mission for Mars, and it’s set…
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Astronomers spot a strange, first-of-its-kind asteroid near Jupiter
There’s still plenty of opportunity for astronomers to discover strange new objects. Researchers using the University of Hawaii’s Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) have found (via Gizmodo) a Trojan asteroid, 2019 LD2, that not onl… Source
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Here’s what Virgin Orbit hopes to achieve with their first full orbital test launch on Sunday
Virgin Orbit held a press briefing on Saturday hosted by CEO Dan Hart and VP of Special Projects Will Pomerantz. The company aims to fly its first ever orbital test launch on Sunday, at roughly 9:30 AM PT (12:30 PM ET), though there’s flexibility for that to move depending on…
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