Virgin Orbit, the rocket company founded by British billionaire Richard Branson, has filed for bankruptcy in the US
The California-based company said in a statement Monday that it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, meaning that it can continue doing business while it restructures its debts. “While we have taken great efforts to address our financial position and secure additional financing, we ultimately must do what is best for the business,” Dan Hart, chief executive of Virgin Orbit, said in the statement posted on its website.
6 million into the satellite launcher to help it stay afloat while the business searches for a new owner. The announcement comes just days after Virgin Orbit said it would lay off about 85% of its workforce to reduce expenses since it could not secure additional funding. The company was founded in 2017 to make small rockets, called LauncherOne, that can deliver lightweight satellites to orbit quickly and cheaply. The rockets take off from modified Boeing 747 planes.