Virgin Galactic to begin glide tests of Unity
Virgin Galactic will begin the first glide tests of its new SpaceShipTwo, Unity, this week.
Virgin Galactic test pilot CJ Sturckow, speaking at a “Space Stories” event at The Explorers Club here Oct. 29, said the company has scheduled the first glide flight of the vehicle, named VSS Unity, on Nov. 1. That flight would come after a single “captive carry” test flight of the vehicle in September, when the vehicle remained attached to its WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft for its entire flight. “It’s ready to fly, and I’m really looking forward to seeing that,” he said of SpaceShipTwo’s upcoming glide flight.
That glide flight will be the first time VSS Unity has flown on its own, and will be the first in a series of glide flights before Virgin Galactic installs a hybrid rocket motor for powered flight tests.
According to the article, the new rocket motor has successfully completed several long duration test firings.
Virgin Galactic is running out of time. Their competition, Blue Origin, appears much closer to flying passengers.
Virgin Galactic will begin the first glide tests of its new SpaceShipTwo, Unity, this week.
Virgin Galactic test pilot CJ Sturckow, speaking at a “Space Stories” event at The Explorers Club here Oct. 29, said the company has scheduled the first glide flight of the vehicle, named VSS Unity, on Nov. 1. That flight would come after a single “captive carry” test flight of the vehicle in September, when the vehicle remained attached to its WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft for its entire flight. “It’s ready to fly, and I’m really looking forward to seeing that,” he said of SpaceShipTwo’s upcoming glide flight.
That glide flight will be the first time VSS Unity has flown on its own, and will be the first in a series of glide flights before Virgin Galactic installs a hybrid rocket motor for powered flight tests.
According to the article, the new rocket motor has successfully completed several long duration test firings.
Virgin Galactic is running out of time. Their competition, Blue Origin, appears much closer to flying passengers.