Ngolunye usuku, i-Virgin Orbit imemezele ukuthi indawo yokuhlola eyokuqala amasathelayithi avela endizeni Isikhumulo sezindiza sase-Oita eJapan (Koshu Island). Lokhu kungase kube ukudumala kuhulumeni wase-UK, otshala imali kulo msebenzi ngethemba lokudala uhlelo lukazwelonke lokwethulwa kwesathelayithi oluzinze esikhumulweni sezindiza saseCornwall.
Isikhumulo sezindiza e-Oita sikhethwe yi-Virgin Orbit ngeso lokwakha isikhungo sokwethulwa komoya ngesathelayithi (microsatellite) eNingizimu-mpumalanga ye-Asia. Ngokusobala kuzoba nemali eningi lapho kunase-"Ngilandi enhle yakudala". Ngasikhathi sinye, uhlelo "lokwethulwa komoya" lusho indlela eguquguqukayo yendawo yokwethulwa kwesathelayithi, njengoba indawo yokwethulwa ngendlela yendiza eguquliwe ye-Boeing 747-400 "Cosmic Girl" ingadluliselwa kunoma iyiphi indawo emhlabeni. .
Ozakwethu be-Virgin Orbit esikhumulweni sezindiza sase-Oita kuzoba izinkampani zasendaweni ezixhumene ne-ANA Holdings kanye ne-Space Port Japan Association. Kulindeleke ukuthi ukubambisana kuzoholela ekuveleni kwesakhiwo esihlanganiswe nezinsizakalo zezindiza zomphakathi, okuzokwakha izimakethe ezintsha ezihambisana nokwanda kwesidingo samasathelayithi amancane. Kubonakala sengathi maduze zonke izinkampani ezizihloniphayo ngeke zikwazi ukuphila ngaphandle komngane wayo.
Mayelana nokwethulwa kokuqala kwemoto yokwethulwa kweLauncherOne isuka kuBoeing 747-400, kulindeleke ngo-2022. Njengamanje, njengoba inkampani ibika, "iphrojekthi isezingeni eliphezulu lokuhlolwa, futhi ukwethulwa kokuqala kwe-orbital kulindeleke maduze nje."
Indiza i-Boeing 747-400 βCosmic Girlβ kufanele iphakamise irokhethi engamamitha angu-21 i-LauncherOne enomthwalo okhokhelwayo iyise endaweni ephakeme ngaphezu kwamakhilomitha angu-9, ngemva kwalokho irokhethi izohlukana, iqale injini yayo futhi iye emkhathini. Lolu hlelo luthembisa ukunciphisa izindleko zokwethula amasathelayithi amancane ku-orbit.
Source: 3dnews.ru