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. | ||
LauncherOne successfully placed 10 cubesats into orbit in January on a NASA-funded mission called Launch Demo 2.
Virgin Orbit plans to perform at least one more LauncherOne mission 2021, also flying out of Mojave Air and Space Port.
Virgin Orbit’s Boeing 747 aircraft serves as the air-launch platform for the LauncherOne rocket.
Virgin Orbit’s Boeing 747 is scheduled to take off from Mojave Air and Space Port in California between 9 and 11 a.m. Eastern on 2021-06-30, with release of the LauncherOne rocket about one hour after takeoff.
Virgin Orbit’s initial LauncherOne launch attempt in May 2020 failed to reach orbit when a propellant line ruptured seconds after main engine ignition.
Arqit expects the first FQS satellites to be launched on Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne from Newquay in Cornwall in 2023 after the launch of the first commercial Arqit satellites.
LauncherOne reached orbit on its second flight on 2021-01-17.
On 2021-05-03, Virgin Orbit selected AVS Added Value Solutions to build the ground support equipment needed to support LauncherOne missions from Spaceport Cornwall (Cornwall Airport Newquay).
Virgin Orbit will launch the first hyperspectral satellite for QinetiQ and HyperSat on a LauncherOne rocket in 2023.
LauncherOne achieved its first successful mission on Launch Demo 2 in January after a failed launch of the vehicle in May 2020.
LauncherOne will deploy the June mission payloads into orbits at an altitude of 500 km and an inclination of 60 degrees.
LauncherOne uses a modified Boeing 747 as its launch platform.
STORK-4 and STORK-5 are scheduled to launch no earlier than June 2021 on Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rocket.
Q-PACE launched on 2021-01-17 as part of the Launch Demo 2 mission by Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne.
Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne successfully demonstrated orbital launch on the Launch Demo 2 mission on 2021-01-17, placing 10 cubesats into orbit on a NASA-funded launch.
Virgin Orbit’s upcoming LauncherOne mission in 2021 will carry payloads for the U.S. Air Force and a 6U cubesat for the Dutch air force under a contract announced on 2021-01-25.
SatRevolution’s two 3U cubesats are contracted to fly on Virgin Orbit’s next LauncherOne mission with a launch scheduled later in 2021.
LauncherOne is an air-launched launch vehicle operated by Virgin Orbit.
BRIK-II is currently scheduled to launch 2021 as a rideshare payload on an upcoming LauncherOne mission.
Cosmic Girl took off from Mojave Air and Space Port at approximately 10:50 A.M. on 2021-01-17 for the LauncherOne mission.