The force awakens: ST Aerospace enters the space age with new Virgin Galactic deal

It will do maintenance works on world’s first commercial spacecraft.

ST Aerospace will be involved in the historic launch of the world’s first-ever commercial spacecraft thanks to the company’s new deal with Virgin Galactic.

Under the deal, ST Aerospace’s affiliate company VT San Antonio Aerospace be providing a series of D-level heavy maintenance checks on the Virgin Galactic’s Boeing 747-400 aircraft – the carrier aircraft for LauncherOne, its small satellite launch vehicle.

The heavy maintenance checks include thorough inspection of all its airframe structures and removal and overhaul of many of its systems.

The aircraft will be inducted into the hangar facility in December 2015, with maintenance work expected to complete by early 2016.

Upon completion of the maintenance visit, the aircraft will undergo various modifications, before entering service with Virgin Galactic, serving as the first stage in the spaceline’s LauncherOne orbital launch system.

As an air-launched rocket, LauncherOne is designed to provide commercial and government-built satellites a flexible launch service that meets individual mission requirements. LauncherOne rockets will be launched by its dedicated 747-400 carrier from various locations.