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May 25, 2020

Virgin Orbit Update: First Launch Has Failed

Yup... This Week Is Definitely Looking To Be 'Space Week'

Aero-News RealTime Update--1554ET, 05.25.20: According to a brief tweet from Virgin Orbit, today's first launch effort has failed. "We've confirmed a clean release from the aircraft. However, the mission terminated shortly into the flight. Cosmic Girl and our flight crew are safe and returning to base." No other details yet available. More info to follow... Aero-News RealTime Update--1521ET, 05.25.20: After dealing with sensor issues on their first targeted day for launch, Sunday, the Virgin Orbit 747 'Cosmic Girl' is airborne, carrying 'LauncherOne' on what may be a historic air-launch of an orbital liquid-fueld rocket system. T

President Expected to Be in Attendance

The last few days before the historic launch of NASA/SpaceX Demo-2 have been busy... and both the President and Vice President are rumored to be planning to attend the launch... which now has a 40% chance of favorable weather. Saturday, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley participated in a countdown dress rehearsal of the launch day events. The crewmates are preparing to launch aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket and fly to the International Space Station. Demo-2 will be the first crewed mission for the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.