Virgin Galactic unveils SpaceShipTwo cabin model
Posted: Thu, Sep 28, 2006, 5:20 PM ET (2120 GMT)
Space tourism operator Virgin Galactic unveiled Thursday a conceptual model of the cabin of SpaceShipTwo (SS2), the suborbital passenger spacecraft being developed for the company by Scaled Composites. The cabin features eight seats, two for the pilots and six for passengers; the seats recline after launch to provide more room in the cabin for movement during zero-g and to accommodate the g-forces of reentry. SS2 will be about 18 meters long, twice the length of its predecessor, SpaceShipOne. Virgin Galactic also released an animation showing a typical flight, but cautioned that the depictions of SS2 and its carrier aircraft, White Knight 2, were notional; the exact design remains proprietary. Virgin officials said they plan to officially unveil both vehicles in about a year, with flight tests scheduled to begin in late 2007 or early 2008.
Space tourism operator Virgin Galactic unveiled Thursday a conceptual model of the cabin of SpaceShipTwo (SS2), the suborbital passenger spacecraft being developed for the company by Scaled Composites. The cabin features eight seats, two for the pilots and six for passengers; the seats recline after launch to provide more room in the cabin for movement during zero-g and to accommodate the g-forces of reentry. SS2 will be about 18 meters long, twice the length of its predecessor, SpaceShipOne. Virgin Galactic also released an animation showing a typical flight, but cautioned that the depictions of SS2 and its carrier aircraft, White Knight 2, were notional; the exact design remains proprietary. Virgin officials said they plan to officially unveil both vehicles in about a year, with flight tests scheduled to begin in late 2007 or early 2008.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, November 5
Ukrainian businessman Max Polyakov invests in Scottish space firm Skyrora
Business Matters — 6:03 am ET (1103 GMT) Estonia plans to allocate EUR 3 mln for Starlink systems for Ukraine
Interfax — 6:01 am ET (1101 GMT) Estonia to invest millions in Starlink for Ukraine's military after high-level talks
RBC — 6:01 am ET (1101 GMT) U.S. Space Force develops new weapons to jam Chinese satellites
Japan Times — 5:59 am ET (1059 GMT) Armor Up Satellites for Space Superiority
RealClearDefense — 5:59 am ET (1059 GMT) |
