LauncherOne - Virgin Galactic announces their entry into orbital spaceflight; an airlaunched two stage booster designed to give satellite operators “a radically better option for carrying their small satellites into orbit.”
LauncherOne in its most typical configuration will be capable of delivering on the order of 500 lb (225 kg) to low inclination Low Earth Orbit, and 225 lb (100 kg) to a higher altitude, Sun-Synchronous Low Earth Orbit. Other configurations may offer significantly greater performance.
At the designated point in space and time, LauncherOne will be released from WhiteKnightTwo at an altitude of approximately 50,000 feet above mean sea level. LauncherOne will free fall for approximately four seconds before the first stage ignites. The two stages operate in sequence, with the potential for the second stage to relight, and the payload is delivered to a designated low-earth orbit.
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