Branson says Virgin Galactic will fly a suborbital flight within a year
From Clark Lindsey: Branson says Virgin Galactic will fly a suborbital flight within a year.
Tag: spaceshiptwo
SpaceShipTwo completes two glide test flights within twenty-four hours
SpaceShipTwo completes two glide test flights within twenty-four hours.
SpaceShipTwo’s test program ramps up
Scaled Composites continues to ramp up the test flight program of SpaceShipTwo. More here.
First feathered test flight of SpaceShipTwo
An evening pause: Video of the May 10 test flight of SpaceShipTwo. “Now we can come back from space.”
Another successful test flight of SpaceShipTwo
Another successful test flight of SpaceShipTwo took place on Tuesday. Via Clark Lindsey.
SpaceShipTwo’s First “Feathered” Flight
SpaceShipTwo’s has successfully completed its first “feathered” flight.
After a 45 minute climb to the desired altitude of 51,500 feet, SpaceShip2 (SS2) was released cleanly from VMS Eve [WhiteKnightTwo] and established a stable glide profile before deploying, for the first time, its re-entry or “feathered” configuration by rotating the tail section of the vehicle upwards to a 65 degree angle to the fuselage. It remained in this configuration with the vehicle’s body at a level pitch for approximately 1 minute and 15 seconds whilst descending, almost vertically, at around 15,500 feet per minute, slowed by the powerful shuttlecock-like drag created by the raised tail section. At around 33,500 feet the pilots reconfigured the spaceship to its normal glide mode and executed a smooth runway touch down, approximately 11 minutes and 5 seconds after its release from VMS Eve.
Scaled Composites Ramps Up SS2 Test Rate
Scaled Composites is ramping up the test rate for SpaceShipTwo.
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo Makes its Longest Test Flight Yet
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo makes its longest test flight yet.
Spaceship Lands at San Francisco Airport
The future is here: Spaceship lands at San Francisco airport. And yes, that is an accurate headline!
Scientists buy tickets on Virgin Galactic
The Southwest Research Institute has purchased two tickets from Virgin Galactic for its scientists to fly on SpaceShipTwo.
The Virgin Galactic flight test program for SpaceShipTwo
This Aviation Week article outlines in detail the upcoming test flight program for Virgin Galactic’s WhiteKnightTwo/SpaceShipTwo following the first free flight of SS2. Key quote:
[SS2’s first] flight marks the start of the third of a seven-phase test program that is expected to culminate with the start of space tourism and science flights in 2012.
SpaceShipTwo carries its first crew
The test flights continue for WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo. On July 15 the two ships, flying as a unit, made their first flight with two crew members inside SpaceShipTwo.