Virgin rocket launch and NAT?

[India Four Two]

How was the launch trajectory planned to fit in the the North Atlantic Track System?

Did they just rely on the Big Sky Theory?

[wiggy]

How was the launch trajectory planned to fit in the the North Atlantic Track System?

Did they just rely on the Big Sky Theory?

No sure how it interacted with NATS (given the time of day that part of the system would probably have been pretty quiet anyway.

Anyhow here's advance info that was pushed out for a slightly earlier launch opportunity.

https://nats-uk.ead-it.com/cms-nats/export/sites/default/en/Publications/Aeronautical-Information-Circulars-AICs/yellow-aics/EG_Circ_2022_Y_095_en.pdf

NOTAM from another authority here:

D0221/22 (https://metar-taf.com/de/notam/IE-0039/258867) 24.12.2022 18:40 LT
EISN
SHANNON FIR/UIR/SOTA: VIRGIN ORBIT SATELLITE LAUNCH ATTEMPT.
VIRGIN ORBIT LLC WILL BE CONDUCTING A SATELLITE LAUNCH ATTEMPT
ORIGINATING FROM THE UK SPACEPORT CORNWALL. THE LAUNCH VEHICLE WILL
BE DEPLOYED ON A SOUTHERN TRAJECTORY OFF THE SOUTHERN COAST OF
IRELAND AS PER IRISH AIC 010/2022. TEMPORARY DANGER AREA 1 IS
CONTAINED WITHIN THE SHANNON FIR/UIR/SOTA.
NOTE: THE 1ST COORDINATE IS REPEATED TO FORM A CLOSED POLYGON.

COORDINATES FOR TEMPORARY DANGER AREA 1 - SFC TO FL400
1. 514132.99N 0113752.58W (https://www.google.com/maps/place/51.69222,-11.63111)F
A
2. 513604.93N 0104652.46W (https://www.google.com/maps/place/51.60111,-10.78111)
B
3. 512633.74N 0102355.76W (https://www.google.com/maps/place/51.4425,-10.39861)
C
4. 502009.88N 0104324.56W (https://www.google.com/maps/place/50.33583,-10.72333)
D
5. 503058.39N 0120549.16W (https://www.google.com/maps/place/50.51611,-12.09694)
E
6. 514132.99N 0113752.58W (https://www.google.com/maps/place/51.69222,-11.63111)
F
A
. SFC - FL400, 09 JAN 22:16 2023 UNTIL 10 JAN 00:16 2023. CREATED: 24 DEC 18:40 2022

[kcockayne]

I watched on FR24 & the 747 was pretty much on its own in its area of operation. I would estimate that there were no other a/c within at least 30 nm of it.

[Gonzo]

https://nats.aero/blog/2023/01/preparing-for-a-uk-space-launch/