SpaceShipTwo performs first captive carry flight
Posted: Tue, Mar 23, 2010, 8:06 AM ET (1206 GMT)
SpaceShipTwo, the commercial suborbital vehicle under development for Virgin Galactic, left the ground for the first time on Monday attached to its carrier aircraft. SpaceShipTwo remained attached to the WhiteKnightTwo plane for its nearly three-hour flight from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California, going to an altitude of over 13,700 meters (45,000 feet). The flight is the first in a series of "captive carry" flights for SpaceShipTwo expected to last several months before progressing to glide tests, where SpaceShipTwo is released at altitude and glides back to earth. Powered test flights will begin by late this year, company officials previously stated, and extend through much of 2011.
SpaceShipTwo, the commercial suborbital vehicle under development for Virgin Galactic, left the ground for the first time on Monday attached to its carrier aircraft. SpaceShipTwo remained attached to the WhiteKnightTwo plane for its nearly three-hour flight from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California, going to an altitude of over 13,700 meters (45,000 feet). The flight is the first in a series of "captive carry" flights for SpaceShipTwo expected to last several months before progressing to glide tests, where SpaceShipTwo is released at altitude and glides back to earth. Powered test flights will begin by late this year, company officials previously stated, and extend through much of 2011.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
China launches first Long March 12A, but booster landing fails
Posted: Sun, Dec 28 9:50 AM ET (1450 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, December 31
European Space Agency Probes Cyber Breach
Aviation Week — 6:59 am ET (1159 GMT) ESA at 50: What Europe’s space agency means for startups today
Tech.eu — 6:58 am ET (1158 GMT) USSPACECOM hosts first AI-enabled summit
US Space Command — 6:57 am ET (1157 GMT) Inside Rocket Lab's effort to outpace larger space rivals
PBS NewsHour — 6:56 am ET (1156 GMT) Vandenberg Issues RFI For Heavy-Lift Launch Site Development
Aviation Week — 6:56 am ET (1156 GMT) |
