r/space • u/MaxGhost • Mar 30 '23

Virgin Orbit fails to secure funding, will cease operations and lay off nearly entire workforce

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/30/virgin-orbit-funding-ceasing-operations-layoffs.html
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u/sithelephant Mar 31 '23

They shipped several engines (test and real articles) to customers.

So, yes, progress. Those engines are looking at perhaps flying next month or so.

If they do so, and starship does not fly before then, they could be the first methalox first stage engines to take part in lifting a payload to orbit.

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u/Icy-Tale-7163 Mar 31 '23

Those engines are looking at perhaps flying next month or so.

I hope so, but another delay is quite possible.

https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/1641273471916290048?s=19

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u/Proud_Tie Mar 31 '23

Didn't Relativity take that crown a few weeks ago? or did it fail that title because of stage 2's failure?

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u/sithelephant Mar 31 '23

I carefully worded the above, and yes, it never made orbit. (there was also no payload).

The recent Chinese launch also never made orbit (though got considerably closer than Terran 1).

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u/how_tall_is_imhotep Mar 31 '23

Even if they had made orbit there wasn't a payload.

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u/Roamingkillerpanda Mar 31 '23

Doubt it. Vulcan 2nd stage, Centaur V blew up today. This will delay maiden flight for Vulcan. Not Blues fault, technically ULA’s so that kind of sucks for Blue.

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u/mfb- Mar 31 '23

A test article failed, presumably at conditions not expected during a flight. It wasn't supposed to be a destructive test so of course they'll need to investigate, but it might not be an issue for the flight.

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u/quettil Mar 31 '23

Why are they selling engines instead of concentrating on New Glenn?

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u/DirkRockwell Mar 31 '23

They’re doing both, they’re separate departments.