Virgin Galactic Appoints Richard DalBello as Vice President of Business Development and Government Affairs
“In this role, Richard will be responsible for managing business development focusing on LauncherOne, the company’s dedicated orbital launch vehicle for small satellites. Richard will be also responsible for managing the company’s interactions with the US government.”
Virgin Galactic Brings DalBello Aboard to Focus on LauncherOne
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Good luck with that. LOL
100 kilogram satellites at $100,000 per kilogram!
VG is entering a crowded market with a super high-priced product.
About 225 Kgs. I believe the marketing will be about fast intergration and launch rather than just price as the sole factor. Your windows for launch pads can be pretty confined at times. Air launch does elimante that one burden.
You are correct. I saw the mass as if were stated in pounds and converted it to kilograms. Backwards.
That still puts it at $45,000 per kilogram.
At that price they are still in a super competitive market.
For example Firefly Alpha will loft 400kg for $8-9mill. Plus it has a growth path by clustering.
I am reminded of the costs of the Falcon 1 from inception to close out. If the FF Alpha sees some of that cost growth it may be a bit more expensive. I also do not recall them saying anything about intergration costs.
Just saying I am a bit skeptical of that price tag until I see some launches.
I am always skeptical. And I extend that in spades to VG.
Marc – who’s the new space / science person at OSTP?
Not sure yet.
It’s Richard Branson’s Flying Circus. (Sorry Monty.)
It’s a reasonable commercial decision. SS2 has a huge question-mark hanging over it but WK2 has been performing well and Launcher 1 should be fairly simple to get right (OSC have been doing it with Pegasus for a long time). If VG can get a cash flow going with smallsat and nanosat launches, it might help deal with SS2’s many growing pains.
A contract with NASA or another government agency for small satellite launches is critical for VG, unless a major commercial customer materializes. No new satellite launch provider has succeeded without some government support. I agree that the launcher is a simpler matter than SS2, but where will it be based? Can Launcher 1 fly east from New Mexico?