Virgin Galactic unveils SpaceShipTwo
Posted: Tue, Dec 8, 2009, 10:40 AM ET (1540 GMT)
Space tourism company Virgin Galactic formally unveiled its suborbital spacecraft, SpaceShipTwo, at an event Monday in California. The first SpaceShipTwo, christened VSS Enterprise, was rolled out attached to its WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft during a ceremony at Mojave Airport north of Los Angeles. The spacecraft, capable of carrying six passengers and two pilots to an altitude of over 100 kilometers, is scheduled to begin test flights in the near future and enter commercial service no sooner than early 2011. About 800 invited guests and press attended the event, including the governors of California and New Mexico. The post-rollout celebration ended early when high winds forced organizers to evacuate guests from tents erected for the event on one of the airport's runways.
Space tourism company Virgin Galactic formally unveiled its suborbital spacecraft, SpaceShipTwo, at an event Monday in California. The first SpaceShipTwo, christened VSS Enterprise, was rolled out attached to its WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft during a ceremony at Mojave Airport north of Los Angeles. The spacecraft, capable of carrying six passengers and two pilots to an altitude of over 100 kilometers, is scheduled to begin test flights in the near future and enter commercial service no sooner than early 2011. About 800 invited guests and press attended the event, including the governors of California and New Mexico. The post-rollout celebration ended early when high winds forced organizers to evacuate guests from tents erected for the event on one of the airport's runways.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Monday, April 21
Moving would have ‘enormous cost’; Mayor Mobolade calls for Space Command to stay put
KRDO-TV Colorado Springs — 6:26 am ET (1026 GMT) SpaceX launches third fleet of spy satellites in 8 days
UPI — 6:24 am ET (1024 GMT) Sorry Katy Perry, you are no firework in space exploration
The Scotsman — 6:22 am ET (1022 GMT) He Was a Prophet of Space Travel. His Ashes Were Found in a Basement.
New York Times — 6:18 am ET (1018 GMT) Isro's SpaDeX satellites complete second docking successfully, more tests to follow
India Today — 6:16 am ET (1016 GMT) |
