Virgin Orbit to Liquidate as Stratolaunch, Others Win Assets (1)

Stratolaunch LLC and Rocket Lab USA Inc. are among the buyers for assets of Virgin Orbit Holdings Inc., the bankrupt space-launch company tied to billionaire Richard Branson.

Virgin Orbit will sell its modified Boeing 747, known as Cosmic Girl, to Stratolaunch for $17 million after no better bids emerged, according to bankruptcy court papers filed Tuesday. Meanwhile, Rocket Lab is buying Virgin Orbit’s primary rocket factory in California for $16.1 million.

The piecemeal sale indicates no adequate bids emerged for the whole of Virgin Orbit during an auction. Launcher Inc. is set to buy a test facility for ...