Verified facts grounded in source documentation.
Virgin Orbit is continuing testing leading up to a first launch planned for later 2018.
Cornwall Airport Newquay signed an agreement with Virgin Orbit at Farnborough that could lead to LauncherOne missions flying from Cornwall Airport Newquay.
Virgin Orbit signed an agreement with officials from Cornwall on 2018-07-16 to enable LauncherOne missions flown out of Cornwall Airport Newquay (Spaceport Cornwall).
On 2018-07-06, Virgin Orbit signed a memorandum of understanding with Italian company Sitael that could lead to LauncherOne missions from Taranto-Grottaglie Airport in southern Italy despite no timetable being set.
Virgin Orbit received a Federal Aviation Administration license for the first launch of its LauncherOne vehicle on 2018-06-29.
On 2018-06-27 Virgin Orbit planned a captive carry test of its LauncherOne air-launch rocket as the next major milestone before the vehicle’s first launch later that summer.
Stephen Eisele, vice president of Virgin Orbit, expects Virgin Orbit to carry out its first LauncherOne mission in mid-summer after a captive carry test of its air-launched rocket on a modified Boeing 747 about a month earlier.