Richard Branson’s failed Virgin Orbit satellite launch was caused by dislodged fuel filter February 15, 2023 A dislodged fuel filter caused last month’s failure of the first attempt to launch satellites into orbit from the UK, Virgin Orbit has said. This caused an engine to overheat, leading to the malfunction of components and the premature shutdown of the LauncherOne rocket’s thrust, according to the company founded by billionaire Sir Richard Branson. [...]
Virgin Atlantic to honour Queen with new transatlantic plane January 23, 2023 Queen Elizabeth II will be honoured by British carrier Virgin Atlantic which will name its new Airbus after the late monarch. Sir Richard Branson-owned Virgin will unveil its new Airbus A330neo, called Queen of the Skies, after Her Majesty who died late last year. The plane is due to take to the skies in April [...]
Virgin Orbit rocket launch failure to be investigated by UK officials January 13, 2023 UK officials will work with counterparts in the US to oversee an investigation into the failure of Virgin Orbit’s rocket launch mission from Cornwall. The Space Accident Investigation Authority (CAIS) said it will work alongside the Federal Aviation Administration to “ensure that any relevant safety lessons are learnt”. The organisations will oversee Virgin Orbit’s investigation. [...]
Exclusive: Virgin Media O2’s business chief on the £31bn mega merger that dazzled the City January 13, 2023 As the UK is in the midst of a merciless recession, with the cost-of-living crisis raging, businesses are scrambling to cut costs, maintain market share and find a way to get through the economic misery. The telecoms sector is no exception. Time for City A.M. to catch up with Jo Bertram, managing director of Virgin Media [...]
Up-up but not away: Branson’s historic Virgin Orbit UK rocket launch ends in failure after anomaly forces return to earth January 10, 2023 An attempt to make British space history by launching a rocket into orbit from UK soil has ended in failure after suffering an “anomaly” during the flight. After taking off from Cornwall, the Virgin Orbit plane flew to 35,000ft over the Atlantic Ocean where it jettisoned the rocket containing nine small satellites towards space. Organisers [...]
UK enters space race: where to watch the launch of Virgin Orbit’s Cosmic Girl January 9, 2023 Tonight sees the first launch of a space rocket via UK soil, with an expected launch window starting at 21:45pm tonight. The LauncherOne rocket be attached under the wing of a modified Boeing 747 owned by Virgin Orbit which will take off from Spaceport Cornwall at Newquay Airport. The mission, dubbed ‘Start Me Up’ mission is a collaborative effort [...]
Revenue dips for Virgin Media O2 as it eyes digital expansion and growth November 2, 2022 Virgin Media O2 posted a slight revenue dip in the third quarter, as the telecom giant rides out “an increasingly challenging macroeconomic backdrop”. Adjusted revenue was down 0.6 per cent to £2.59bn, with results dragged down by a 3.7 per cent decline in handset revenue. Total mobile revenues increased by 2.1 per cent to £1.5bn, [...]
Virgin Wines expects customers to dodge the pub for drinks at home October 26, 2022 Virgin Wines has anticipated customers will host more social gatherings at home rather than heading to the pub. In annual results, the online wine retailer said it was “mindful” of the potential impact of the cost of living crunch on frequency and order values. However, it said it expected people would be “more likely to [...]
Virgin Media O2 slashes social tariff broadband price for struggling Brits October 11, 2022 Virgin Media O2 has slashed the price of its social tariff as the telecom giant follows calls to support the hardest hit by macroeconomic headwinds. The price of the basic band, which is specifically targeted at those receiving Universal Credit, will drop by 16 per cent to £12.50 per month for all new and existing customers, making [...]
Richard Branson pumps £30m windfall into Virgin Brands October 4, 2022 Richard Branson has invested some £30m worth of royalties back into his Virgin brand. The British billionaire pumped £25m into the Virgin group last year, down from £85m in 2018. The cash is intended to help support the businesses hit hardest by successive Covid-19 lockdowns worldwide, namely Virgin Atlantic. Virgin Galactic, Branson’s lagging space venture, [...]