Rocket Report: SpaceX to do “right” by OneWeb, ESA looks at backup launch plans

Enlarge / The crew of NS-20 view the New Shepard spacecraft and rocket prior to launch. (credit: Blue Origin)

Welcome to Edition 4.37 of the Rocket Report! The big event this weekend is a wet dress rehearsal for NASA's Space Launch System rocket, which begins on Friday and is presently scheduled to conclude on Sunday. Ars will have a full preview story on Friday morning, so be sure to check it out.

As always, we welcome reader submissions, and if you don't want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar.

Virgin Orbit loses $157 million in 2021. In its first financial results since going public in December after a merger with a special purpose acquisition corporation, Virgin Orbit announced Tuesday a net loss of $157.3 million for 2021 on $7.4 million in revenue. That is compared to a net loss of $121.6 million on $3.8 million in revenue in 2020, SpaceNews reports. Despite the significant loss, the launch company emphasized in an earnings call the increase in revenue, primarily from two LauncherOne missions conducted in 2021.

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