LauncherOne

LauncherOne was a two-stage orbital launch vehicle developed and flown by Virgin Orbit, in development from 2007 to 2020 with operational flights from 2021 to 2023. It was an air-launched rocket designed to carry small satellite payloads of up to 300 kg into Sun-synchronous orbit. A modified Boeing 747-400 named Cosmic Girl carried it to high altitude and released it over the ocean. The first successful flight on 17 January 2021 delivered ten CubeSats to low Earth orbit, and three further launches reached orbit, while the first test in May 2020 and the final flight in January 2023 failed. It was the first all liquid-fuelled air-launched orbital rocket, and Virgin Orbit ended operations after its 2023 bankruptcy.