Why Virgin Orbit's Chapter 11 Filing and The Silicon Valley Bank Failure Matter
The commercial space ecosystem is weathering multiple storm systems. First, there was the Silicon Valley Bank failure. This week the publicly listed launch company Virgin Orbit, and its subsidiaries - including its defense division Virgin Orbit National Systems - filed for Chapter 11 protection. To understand how these events affect the commercial space sector, which the Department of Defense is relying on more and more, Laura Winter speaks with Chris Quilty, Founder of Quilty Analytics; George Pullen, MilkyWay Economy’s Chief Economist; and Chris Stott, a serial space entrepreneur, and the Chairman & CEO, Lonestar Data Holdings.

Why Virgin Orbit's Chapter 11 Filing and The Silicon Valley Bank Failure Matter

This week, we’re joined by Las Cruces native Jamila Gilbert, who joined Virgin Galactic in 2019 where she has been an integral part of the company, leading internal communications. On Thursday, May 25, she was aboard the Unity 25 suborbital space flight. 

Jamila a­ttended New Mexico State University, studying linguistics, museum conservation, anthropology, and studio art. As a Latina woman of Purépechan-Mexican roots, a visual artist, and a communications professional who speaks four languages, Jamila doesn’t come from a technical or engineering background.

Now, the 34-year-old is the third Virgin Galactic woman to fly to space, joining the first 100 women astronauts in history. She is also among only 16 Hispanic astronauts. 

Later, we’re joined by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to talk about what the successful Virgin Galactic launch and the apparently imminent commercial space flights could mean for the state’s future.

The Reporter's Notebook from The Las Cruces Sun-News

The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 70: The astronaut and the governor

Just a fun song. I think it may actually fit into the journey of metalloid man

Rocket Booster

Has The Space Economy Slowdown Hit Bottom?

In Q3 inflation looked to be coming under control, but economic indicators pointing to another Fed interest rate hike and a recession persist. In this episode of The DownLink Podcast, Laura Winter discusses the latest economic trends and events impacting space business, investing, and the space economy with Chris Quilty, founder of Quilty Space; and George Pullen, Chief Economist at Milky Way Economy.

Has The Space Economy Slowdown Hit Bottom?

For my father.


Summertime, June twenty-one
Rising at the crack of dawn
Homework done, father son
Going for a morning drive
What a day to be alive
The day we saw a rocket ship come flying through the sky

And we have always shared times like this and more
And I still go there in my mind
The day we saw that rocket ship come flying through the sky

They left the moon when I was born
Did you know then that you were the moon to me?
High above and smiling down
Old and wise and gentle eyes
I repaid the smallest slice
The day we saw the rocket ship come shining through the sky

And now that I have flown to a place that we once read about
Your favorite son can see your light
Coming round our roundabout
Remembering our talks each night
Before we saw a rocket flight ascending out of sight

The aeroplane was true and strong
Carrying the spaceship on
Just like you once raised me, John
Now it flies all on its own
And this is what it meant to me
The day we saw the rocket plane come soar above Mojave

White Knight and SpaceShip One
A father and a son
Two in awe and two up high
The day, oh dad, our rocket ship came flying through the sky

Rocket Ship

From the Defense & Aerospace Report... This is The DownLink Podcast, hosted by Laura Winter.  From the intersection of space, business, and defense... Not just what's over the horizon, but what's happening above it.

The DownLink Podcast is 2023 and 2024 Defense Media Award-winner.

Find the Las Cruces Sun-News online at lcsun-news.com.

I'm a singer-songwriter with influences from Paul Simon to Neil Young and more.

New tracks tagged #Virgin Galactic