There are three types of orbital launch vehicles. The first is by far the most common, those beautiful ideas that are sketched and estimated, and might even see a detailed feasibility study and concept renderings, but that no one ever does anything about. The second are the rockets with a bit more substance. Metal is cut, welded, and fastened together, tests might be performed, and promises are made. But in the end the program turns out to be too small of a boat trying to cross a ferocious sea. The concepts are mothballed and the project fizzles. The last kind of rocket is the rarest, those that blossom from concept to full, detailed design, to manufacturing, to test, to flight.
Today Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne became the latest rocket to join the (relatively) short list of type 3 launch vehicles. I spent a bit over three years of my career working on this vehicle, but of course I don't speak for the company in any way now, meaningful or not. In life and in my career I've gone elsewhere, but I spent too much time trying to bridge the gap from idea to reality to not be an impassioned observer now. I close my eyes and I can plainly see the warrens of tubes and wires in the open spaces inside the pretty white lines of the rocket. Now that's all at the bottom of the ocean, but for a beautiful moment it was working, pushing, straining against the gravity of the planet where it was made with pride and love.
This afternoon I watched my children as they napped. I couldn't believe how beautiful they were. I'll never describe any of the vehicles I work on as my baby because my actual babies put that analogy to shame. They're my most essential legacy. But I'm still proud of what I've helped to design and build, and that I did my part to make this new little machine fly. It's in good hands, I know. Next time, the next rocket will fly faster, and higher, and farther. By doing so it will be a small part of extending the reach of humanity beyond this little planet. That, and working on similar programs as I've moved on, isn't bad for a life's B plot.
You should read VO's official update on the flight. So many times over the last five years I've imagined what LauncherOne would look like, engine roaring to life, as Cosmic Girl banks sharply away. Now that image is concrete as a photograph. The mind made manifest indeed.
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