Spire Global has committed to the purchase of multiple launches from Virgin Orbit, starting in 2023 — these launches will support Spire’s growing Space Services business as well as upgrades and enhancements to the company’s fully deployed satellite constellation.
The launches are part of Virgin Orbit’s growing launch backlog as it heads toward its first international launch later this year from the United Kingdom.
Exemplary of the growing demand for the smallsat market, the launches will support the growth of Spire Space Services, a platform which offers customers fast and scalable access to space through a subscription model, and continual upgrades and enhancements to the company’s fully deployed satellite constellation. Spire will make full use of LauncherOne’s demonstrated flexibility by launching to a variety of orbits – from mid-inclination to polar – all out of Virgin Orbit’s first spaceport in Mojave, California.
Spire Global and Virgin Orbit previously demonstrated the flexibility of LauncherOne’s rapid call-up capabilities with the late-load of Spire’s ADLER-1 satellite onboard the Above the Clouds mission from Mojave, California, in January of 2022, an expedition which required just 22 days from the initial call-up to payload integration. Building on that success, the two companies are teaming up to provide rapid and flexible launch solutions to Spire’s global customer base.
Spire joins Virgin Orbit’s growing backlog of customers seeking both flexibility of launch location and orbital destination. As a small launch provider, Virgin Orbit is dedicated to providing flexible, affordable, rapid launch opportunities anytime, anywhere to the commercial, educational, and government smallsat industry.
“We’re very pleased to have formed this strategic relationship with the innovative Spire team. Our previous joint execution of the ADLER-1 launch demonstrated the potential of marrying expert satellite capabilities with rapid, flexible launch,” said Virgin Orbit CEO, Dan Hart. “Demand from the small satellite market continues to be strong and we are privileged to be among the few operational companies serving this vitally important sector.”
“Working with Virgin Orbit gives us flexibility and control over launches, rather than waiting for the secondary rideshare market to provide the orbits we want on timelines that we have to work with,” said Robert Sproles, Vice President, Constellation Planning & Operations. “It’s particularly crucial for offering our Space Services customers rapid and reliable access to space so that they can meet their mission-critical deadlines.”