Virgin Orbit Plans Aggressive Flight Schedule For 2020

The new CEO of Virgin Orbit, which was spun off from Virgin Galactic to capture a share of the small satellite launch market, says the company will carry out two missions per month in 2020, despite a delay in the initial flight of the company's launcher.
Dan Hart was promoted from company president to CEO in June, and the delays fall on his shoulders. Space News reports that Hart said during a panel at the recent Euroconsult’s World Satellite Business Week in Paris that he had made a few changes in the test program, which pushed the initial flight of LauncherOne into early next year. He said that the company plans three test flights of LauncherOne before moving to commercial operations. “That gives us plenty of ramp-up time to get to the 24-level in 2020,” Hart said during the panel discussion.

Hard said that after the initial flight test program, commercial operations will come quickly, with the launch rate doubling in 2019 and doubling again in 2020, reaching a rate of 24 launches in that year.

The first LauncherOne rocket was completed a few weeks ago, Hart said. It will be used for tanking tests and stage firings in Mojave, CA.

LauncherOne will be deployed from under the wing of a modified Boeing 747 dubbed "Cosmic Girl", making operations possible from multiple spaceports.

AF Awards Contract To Begin Designing Next Air Force One Aircraft

The contract modification includes the design to incorporate a mission communication system, electrical power upgrades, a medical facility, an executive interior, a self-defense system and autonomous ground operations capabilities into two commercial Boeing 747-8s.

These aircraft will replace the two aging VC-25A (747-200) presidential support aircraft.

“Following the award of the contract to purchase two commercial 747-8 aircraft, this contract award is the next major step forward toward ensuring an overall affordable program,” said Maj. Gen. Duke Richardson, Presidential Airlift Recapitalization program executive officer.

Under this contract action, Boeing and their suppliers will complete the initial design of the future Air Force One. The Air Force is committed to working with Boeing to ensure the PAR program meets presidential airlift mission requirements, as well as the president's affordability expectations.

The Air Force is also working with Boeing on a follow-on contract modification, referred to as the Engineering and Manufacturing Development contract modification, which will continue the program through detailed design, aircraft modification, test and delivery of two presidential mission-ready aircraft. The EMD contract modification is planned to be awarded in the Summer of 2018. These aircraft will provide the president of the United States with safe, reliable and affordable air transportation equipped with all mission capabilities necessary to continuously execute the constitutional responsibilities of commander-in-chief, head of state, and chief executive.