Virgin Galactic, the world’s first commercial spaceline, has began testing two new liquid rocket engines for its LauncherOne, small satell...
Virgin Galactic, the world’s first commercial spaceline, has began testing two new liquid rocket engines for its LauncherOne, small satellite launch vehicle, which is currently under development.
Virgin Galactic has conducted hot-fire tests on both 3,500 lbf thrust NewtonOne rocket engine and the 47,500 lbf thrust NewtonTwo rocket engine. As part of the ongoing test program, the NewtonOne engine has now been fired dozens of times, achieving the target thrust during a full-duration test.
The larger NewtonTwo engine has also been fired multiple times at short duration, with longer duration firings scheduled to occur in the coming months.
The new rocket engines were designed and assembled in-house by Virgin Galactic engineers. LauncherOne uses a single NewtonOne on the upper stage and a single NewtonTwo on the main stage. Both engines are simple, pressure-fed LOX/RP-1 systems built with a low part-count design.
The NewtonTwo engine is a scaled-up version of the NewtonOne, sized to serve as the first stage engine for LauncherOne, with a nozzle optimized for air-launched performance. Powered by these two engines, LauncherOne will carry small satellites to low-Earth orbit affordably and responsively, enabling a new generation of private and government missions.
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| LauncherOne Released from WhiteKnight Two |
LauncherOne will be released from WhiteKnightTwo, an all-composite, high-altitude, heavy-lift aircraft initially designed for carrying SpaceShipTwo, at an altitude of approximately 50,000 feet above mean sea level. LauncherOne will free fall for approximately four seconds before the first stage ignites. The two stages operate in sequence, with the potential for the second stage to relight, and the payload is delivered to a designated low-earth orbit.
Virgin Galactic is owned by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and UAE based aabar Investments.
