Spirit of Mojave

*Spirit of Mojave*
Spirit of Mojave
	Stratolaunch 747 Spirit of Mojave
General information
Other name(s)	Cosmic Girl (2001 – 2023; with Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Galactic, Virgin Orbit) ; Spirit of Mojave (2023 – onwards; with StratoLaunch) ;
Type	Boeing 747-41R
Manufacturer	Boeing
Status	Expected to be refit to launch Stratolaunch's Talon.
Owners	Virgin Atlantic (2001 – 2015); Virgin Galactic (2015 – 2017); Virgin Orbit (2017 – 2023); Stratolaunch (2023 – onwards);
Construction number	32745
Registration	G-VWOW (2001 – 2015; with Virgin Atlantic) ; N744VG (2015 – onwards; with Virgin Galactic and Virgin Orbit and Stratolaunch) ;
Aircraft carried	LauncherOne orbital rocket
History
Manufactured	2001
First flight	29 September 2001
In service	2001 – October 2015 (Virgin Atlantic); November 2015 – October 2017 (Virgin Galactic); October 2017 – May 2023 (Virgin Orbit); May 2023 - onwards (StratoLaunch);

Spirit of Mojave, previously Cosmic Girl is a Boeing 747-400 aircraft. A former passenger airliner operated by Virgin Atlantic, it was purchased by Virgin Galactic in 2015 to be used as the first stage launch platform (or mothership launch pad) for the air launch stage of the smallsat orbital launch vehicle, the LauncherOne. In 2017, the aircraft was transferred to the orbital launch subsidiary, Virgin Orbit, and its livery updated to Virgin Orbit. LauncherOne attempted its first launch on 25 May 2020; the launch was a failure. The first successful launch (second launch in total) took place on 17 January 2021.

Virgin Orbit declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy on April 4, 2023. Cosmic Girl was subsequently sold at auction to Stratolaunch, to complement their existing Roc launch platform for their Talon Hypersonic testbed vehicle, and was renamed Spirit of Mojave.

Spirit of Mojave
Stratolaunch 747 Spirit of Mojave
General information
Other name(s)	Cosmic Girl (2001 – 2023; with Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Galactic, Virgin Orbit) Spirit of Mojave (2023 – onwards; with StratoLaunch)
Type	Boeing 747-41R
Manufacturer	Boeing
Status	Expected to be refit to launch Stratolaunch's Talon.
Owners	Virgin Atlantic (2001 – 2015) Virgin Galactic (2015 – 2017) Virgin Orbit (2017 – 2023) Stratolaunch (2023 – onwards)
Construction number	32745
Registration	G-VWOW (2001 – 2015; with Virgin Atlantic) N744VG (2015 – onwards; with Virgin Galactic and Virgin Orbit and Stratolaunch)
Aircraft carried	LauncherOne orbital rocket
History
Manufactured	2001
First flight	29 September 2001
In service	2001 – October 2015 (Virgin Atlantic) November 2015 – October 2017 (Virgin Galactic) October 2017 – May 2023 (Virgin Orbit) May 2023 - onwards (StratoLaunch)