Branson’s Virgin Galactic to Launch Earth Observation Satellites
earth observation, environmental monitoring August 4th, 2009
Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic space exploration business sold a 32 percent stake to an Abu Dhabi investor, raising $280 million. The bulk of the investment is said to go toward testing of the company’s SpaceShipTwo launch vehicle that will ultimately take tourists into space. The company is also busy developing a satellite launch vehicle for low-orbit earth observation and worldwide mobile and broadband satellites in partnership with the UK company Surrey Small Satellites. The two plan to develop a launcher to propel satellites into low orbit at a small percentage of the cost of current launch technologies.
Read more in this story in the Telegraph.
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