Virgin Orbit is ready to test its plane-launched space rockets

By using liquid nitrogen, which poses less of a risk than liquid oxygen despite having very similar temperatures, the company was able to conduct what it describes as a “complete, end-to-end launch rehearsal that exercises all of [its] ground operations; [its] mission control; all of [its] communications systems and protocols; all of [its] range assets; and [its] carrier aircraft’s takeoff, flyout, pull-up maneuver, and return-to-base operations.”

This was the final test Virgin needed to complete before its launch demo, and it promised more details about it in the future. During an actual launch, Cosmic Girl will drop LauncherOne from 35,000 feet in the air. The rocket will then head up to space to deliver small satellites to Low Earth Orbit.