Family-level launch record combining canonical variants, historical missions, public cadence forecasts, and available payload performance specs.
Historical missions are grouped by actual launch year. Forecast cadence uses family-level launch-rate rows.
| Year | Historical missions | Forecast launches |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 | 0 |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 |
Payload capacity by variant and target orbit when structured capacity rows are available.
| Variant | Orbit | Capacity | Altitude | Inclination | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No performance specsNo structured payload capacity rows are linked to this vehicle family. | |||||
Latest launched missions using variants in this family.
| Mission | Variant | Launch |
|---|---|---|
| Launch 2023-F01 | LauncherOne | Jan 9, 2023 |
| STP-S28A | LauncherOne | Jul 2, 2022 |
| STP-27VPB | LauncherOne | Jan 13, 2022 |
| STP-27VPA |
Canonical variants rolled up into this launch vehicle family.
| Variant | Stages | Missions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
LauncherOne | Not stated | 6 | Retired |
LauncherOne |
| Jun 30, 2021 |
| Elana XX | LauncherOne | Jan 17, 2021 |
| Launch 2020-F04 | LauncherOne | May 25, 2020 |
Upcoming mission rows with announced launch timing.
| Mission | Variant | Announced |
|---|---|---|
No forecasted missionsNo upcoming announced mission rows are linked to this vehicle family. | ||
Virgin Orbit decided that launching LauncherOne from Guam could serve all orbital inclinations.
Virgin Orbit completed a captive carry test flight of its LauncherOne system on 2020-04-12.
Virgin Orbit’s modified Boeing 747 aircraft with a LauncherOne rocket attached to its left wing took off from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California at 2:23 p.m. Eastern.
Virgin Orbit characterized the 2020-04-12 captive carry as a complete, end-to-end launch rehearsal of the aircraft and ground operations except for using liquid nitrogen instead of LauncherOne’s operational liquid oxygen propellant.
LauncherOne is designed to be air-launched from a modified 747-400 carrier aircraft named Cosmic Girl.
Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne system is delivered to launch sites by a Boeing 747 aircraft modified to carry the LauncherOne rocket under its left wing.
LauncherOne intends to provide government and commercial customers a flexible launch service that can operate from locations around the world.
LauncherOne rockets are made in Long Beach and will be air-launched from a modified 747-400 'Cosmic Girl' carrier aircraft.
Virgin Orbit offers LauncherOne as a flexible launch service to government and commercial customers that can operate from locations around the world.
LauncherOne rockets will be air-launched from a modified 747-400 carrier aircraft named Cosmic Girl.
Spaceflight monitored the planned maiden flights of Firefly Aerospace's Alpha and Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne expected later in 2020.
Richard Branson expected Virgin Orbit’s first LauncherOne launch to take place in April 2020.
Virgin Orbit performed a taxi test of its Boeing 747 aircraft with a fully-fueled LauncherOne rocket attached to its wing in early March 2020.
VOX Space provides small satellite launch services to the U.S. government using Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne.
LauncherOne rockets will be air-launched from a modified 747-400 carrier aircraft.
Virgin Orbit prepared for an imminent first orbital launch attempt of LauncherOne using a converted Boeing 747 in 2020 after a final series of tests.
Virgin Orbit is working with the U.S. Air Force to perform a LauncherOne launch from Guam to demonstrate the system’s flexibility.
Virgin Orbit will perform a captive carry flight in which the 747 will take off with LauncherOne attached for the entire flight.
Virgin Orbit withdrew from the DARPA Launch Challenge in October to focus on upcoming launches for government and commercial customers and expects to perform a first LauncherOne launch early 2020.
Virgin Orbit planned to carry out its first LauncherOne mission before the end of 2019 but missed that schedule.