Geddit? Virgin? Mothership?

No?

they should be made to put their old toys away first? how long until metal firms get into the "harvesting" space debris?

Well spent public dosh (imo)

If they put enough satellites in orbit eventually we could have a chain reaction resulting in so much orbital space debris that life expectancy of a satellite prior to something crashing into it doesn't cover the cost of launch.

With all that shinny metal floating around above us reflecting light and heat, global warming will be a thing of the past! Keep up the good work!

This is potentially good news. However the history of Pegasus is not good.

Originally costed at c$6m it is currently about $15m a launch with cost per lb between 15-20$k. It may be coincidence that as US Govt contracts cap the allowed profit margin "regrettably" having to double the price means doubling the absolute amount of profit. And the propellant supply company (3 stage solid) is a part owner of the joint venture. Their prices do not seem to be capped. Sort of like the railway leasing companies who were sold the UK train networks rolling stock for £72m all in. Currently worth about £2bn.

Then there is the US Govt and its totally para ITAR regs. Described by one judge as "preemptive censoring of the freedom of speech" and a US liaison to Congress as the nearest thing to a protection racket he'd ever seen.

Provided these can be avoided there is potentially a large field of suppliers who could deliver rocket stages at least as safe as that for SpaceShip Two. It would be very surprising if given a clean sheet they went the Pegasus root. UK suppliers, European, Japanese. Iran anyone?

It would be nice to see some of the profits from its Leicester theme park put to a good use.

TTFN