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 plans to perform a taxi test of Cosmic Girl, its modified Boeing 747 aircraft, with a LauncherOne vehicle attached, followed by a captive carry flight and then an orbital launch demonstration.
VOX Space will launch STP-27VP from Guam on a LauncherOne rocket deployed from a Boeing 747 in 2020.
OneWeb procured 39 LauncherOne missions from Virgin Orbit in 2015 but canceled all but four of those missions in 2018, prompting a lawsuit from Virgin Orbit.
Spaceport Cornwall could host Virgin Orbit’s first LauncherOne mission as soon as late 2021, subject to regulatory approvals in the United States and Britain and completion of airport infrastructure improvements.
As of 2019-10-24 at the 70th International Astronautical Congress, Virgin Orbit expected to choose a third stage for LauncherOne within the next month or two.
The Exploration 3-Stage Variant of LauncherOne would be capable of launching around 100 kg to the Moon or toward Lagrange points.
LauncherOne is designed to deliver 300 to 500 kg to low Earth orbit, with the exact payload capacity determined by orbital inclination.
The three-stage variant of LauncherOne would be capable of launching up to 50 kg to Mars or 70 kg to Venus.
LauncherOne is a two-stage liquid-propellant rocket designed to be launched from the wing of a modified Boeing 747 aircraft.
As of 2019-10-24 at the 70th International Astronautical Congress, Virgin Orbit anticipated completing the maiden flight of its normal two-stage LauncherOne in that year.
The LauncherOne air-launched rocket will be mated to Virgin Orbit’s modified Boeing 747 aircraft for a captive-carry test flight followed by the vehicle’s first orbital launch attempt.
Virgin Orbit transported the LauncherOne rocket for its first orbital flight from its Long Beach, California factory to the Mojave Air and Space Port on 2019-09-24.
Virgin Orbit conducted a drop test of LauncherOne on 2019-07-10 at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California using an inert vehicle.
Virgin Orbit is developing an air-launched small rocket named LauncherOne.
LauncherOne is deployed using an air-launch system from Boeing 747 carrier aircraft.
Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne is designed to launch 300 kg to a 500-kilometer orbit.
Virgin Orbit performed a drop test of a LauncherOne test article on 2019-07-10.
Virgin Orbit’s Boeing 747 carrier aircraft took off from the Mojave Air and Space Port at 11:43 a.m. Eastern carrying a full-sized LauncherOne rocket filled with water rather than propellants.
Virgin Orbit performed a drop test of its LauncherOne air launch system on 2019-07-10.
Vox Space will use Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne air-launched rocket, released from a Boeing 747 mothership, for a planned launch later in 2019.