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Virgin Galactic loses $500m

Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic business has reported a significant trading loss for 2022. The company said it remained “on track” to start carrying paying passengers in its space tourism business despite racking up $500 million in losses last year. The losses, specifically at Virgin Galactic Holdings, amount to $500 million compared to a loss […]

March 3, 2023By Chris Forrester

MP: “UK toxic for satellite launches”

A UK all-party parliamentary Science and Technology Select Committee, headed by Greg Clark MP, heard witnesses describe the British approach to satellite launches as being “toxic” and a “disaster” with regards to future space launches. The committee heard from senior figures at Wales-based Space Forge which lost one of its small satellites on the recent […]

March 2, 2023By Chris Forrester

Virgin Orbit reports on Cornwall failure

Virgin Orbit lost its LauncherOne rocket on January 9th when its second stage failed to operate correctly. CEO Dan Hart – speaking on a panel at the SmallSat Symposium in California – said that a small, and inexpensive part, might have been the cause. The problem flight took place from Spaceport Cornwall in Newquay, Cornwall […]

February 9, 2023By Chris Forrester

Virgin Orbit wins contract from SatRev

Virgin Orbit has won an extra launch contract from nano-satellite satellite builder SatRev. Virgin has already successfully orbited four craft for SatRev from Virgin’s base in the Mojave Desert. The new launch agreement covers a number of satellites and provides Poland-based SatRev with the flexibility to launch 500 kg. over multiple launches to a variety […]

February 6, 2023By Chris Forrester

Virgin Orbit raises $10m in emergency funding

Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit satellite launch business has raised a financial stop-gap of $10 million (€9.1m), according to a filing with the US Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) on January 30th. The cash comes from a sister – but separate – company, Virgin Investments Limited (VIL), the investment arm of the Branson’s Virgin Group. […]

February 3, 2023

24i appoints Brown as CTO

24i, the end-to-end video streaming expert, has promoted David Brown to Chief Technology Officer. As the newest member of the executive team, Brown is focused on developing the right technology and products to advance the video streaming user experience, increase engagement and reduce costs for customers. Before establishing his expertise as Senior Scientist at 24i, […]

January 24, 2023

Virgin Orbit assesses rocket failure

Virgin Orbit has reported that its Cosmic Girl launch from Cornwall on January 9th “ultimately fell short of reaching its target orbit”. The company admitted that the effort was not a moment to remember. Investors shared the sentiment and sent Virgin Orbit Holdings share price on the Nasdaq exchange crashing down 22 per cent on […]

January 11, 2023

Virgin Orbit gets UK licences for space launch

Virgin Orbit has received the final licences from the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to commence launches from Spaceport Cornwall, in Newquay, UK. The CAA said that Sir Richard Branson’s company demonstrated it has “taken all reasonable steps to ensure safety risks arising from launch activities are as low as reasonably practicable”. Virgin Orbit could […]

December 21, 2022By Chris Forrester

Virgin Orbit scrubs Cornwall launch

The planned Virgin Orbit flight from Spaceport Cornwall on December 14th has been cancelled. Virgin is blaming the UK’s licensing for the flight which are not yet received. Virgin Orbit’s CEO Dan Hart, speaking to the BBC, said: “With licences still outstanding for the launch itself and for the satellites within the payload, additional technical […]

December 9, 2022By Chris Forrester

Branson docuseries on Sky and NOW in December

The four-part docuseries Branson, directed by Chris Smith (100 Foot Wave), debuts in the UK on December 4th on Sky Documentaries and streaming service NOW. Sixteen days before Richard Branson is scheduled to make a potentially historic flight as the first passenger to reach space in his own spacecraft in July 2021, the billionaire entrepreneur sits […]

November 14, 2022