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Virgin Galactic has released video of SpaceShipTwo’s second powered flight.

Virgin Galactic has released video of SpaceShipTwo’s second powered flight.

Messier notes how strained the pilot’s voices are, indicating that this test flight was “one wild ride.” I have put the video below the fold.

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
 

"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News

11 comments

  • Pzatchok

    I can’t see that ship being anything more than a thrill ride like a roller coaster.

    Does it have a chance at all of docking to the ISS or any other orbital station in the future?

    Does it have the capability to orbit the planet?

  • BSJ

    No. Can’t do either. Never will be able too…

  • wade

    i did read that a more complex design is in the Works for Virgin Galactic with parameters aimed at being an orbital vehicle.

  • wade

    and may I add. WOW i want to Ride That

  • Pzatchok

    Ride it? Hell yea!!!

    But calling it a spacecraft is sort of relying on a very narrow definition of spacecraft.

    So far all I see is is a very high altitude pressurized aircraft.

  • wade

    it Touches space. if you watch the tail camera view ,the exhaust trail is in the background and Ends . from there you are Falling at a velocity less than the required Orbital Speed of 17,000mph and that vehicle depicted is indeed, In Space. This vehicle can Achieve it’s Design Purpose . But, time will Tell if the Public Sale of “rides” can generate the capitol needed to design and perfect the “more advanced version”. And of course, This is All very exciting!

  • Pzatchok

    Thats like calling an inner tube a ship just because I can float on it in an ocean.

    It has no maneuverability in space, no orbital ability, and obviously no way to stay in space once it gets there.
    As soon as it looses upward momentum it starts to fall back.

    You could do the very same with any pressurized aircraft if you strap a large enough rocket to it and shoot it straight up.

    It would be great for joy rides if once it reached space it could stay there for a few hours and it had enough room to actually move around in it like in the “vomit comet”. That way passengers could get out of their seats and actually enjoy free fall in space and maybe have a little snack.

  • Pzatchok

    So far I am not even sure if they have ever re lit the engines in space.

    Or even while on approach to their landing sight.

    If they never plan on doing either of those things then they really don’t have much reason to even use a hybrid engine in the first place.

  • wade

    they Have that Reason for the Hybrid Engine. watch what happens with This space program. i am Very aware of mr. Musk and his goals. Yet , as I stated many moons ago, he is using Customized Tech that was Proven by NASA in 1964.

  • wade

    they Have that Reason for the Hybrid Engine. watch what happens with This space program. i am Very aware of mr. Musk and his goals. Yet , as I stated many moons ago, he is using Customized Tech that was Proven by NASA in 1964. Galactic does Too. yet , by Private Funding , Galactic is trying to Make Money to finance their Future Goals with innovated Design of Space Plane Tech.

  • wade

    the Real Future for space access is within the Development of Space Plane Tech. A true runway-to orbit-to runway vehicle is within our grasp given the developments of present day abilities.

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