Did fishermen land ‘Virgin’ rocket?

FISHERMEN out of Union Hall made a catch with a difference this week – pulling up parts of a rocket believed to be the remains of the ill-fated Virgin Orbit spacecraft lost at sea after crashing shortly after launch earlier this year.

The Virgin Orbit LauncherOne rocket was launched from a modified Boeing 747 jet out of Newquay in Cornwall, England on January 9th. The plan was for the rocket to reach space orbit carrying a payload of nine satellites. While the rocket reached space – travelling at more than 17,000kms per hour – it failed to reach orbit, instead crashing off the Irish coast in an unknown location. Now the fate of LauncherOne may have been cleared up by fishermen who landed parts of a rocket at Keelbeg, Union Hall, earlier this week. The discovery was made on the seabed around 200 miles south of Dingle. 

Although there is no official confirmation this is the same rocket, the location would tally with its last known location, while the parts salvaged at Keelbeg are not believed to be of any military origin, further pointing to it being LauncherOne. 

A Council statement said:  ‘Cork County Council has advised the relevant authorities.’

The failure of the mission had a devastating effect on California-based Virgin Orbit company, which filed for bankruptcy in April.