Author Topic: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)  (Read 258505 times)

Offline Mammutti

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #100 on: 12/03/2016 02:57 pm »
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Takeoff--WhiteKnightTwo & #SpaceShipTwo are now in the air for another test.  Today is 5th flight for VSS Unity, 218th for WhiteKnightTwo.

https://twitter.com/virgingalactic/status/805061486192140289

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Release! VSS Unity has cleanly detached from WhiteKnightTwo, and is flying freely for the first time ever! #SpaceShipTwo

https://twitter.com/virgingalactic/status/805074110820728832

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VSS Unity has landed. Vehicle and crew are back safe and sound after a successful first glide test flight. #SpaceShipTwo

https://twitter.com/virgingalactic/status/805076702003011585

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This was the 1st ever free flight of our new spaceship—the 1st ship built by our in-house manufacturing team @TheSpaceshipCo #SpaceShipTwo

https://twitter.com/virgingalactic/status/805077490477604864

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #101 on: 12/03/2016 03:19 pm »
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Pilots for today’s flight: in #SpaceShipTwo: Stucky and Mackay. In WhiteKnightTwo: Masucci and Ericson, plus flight test engineer Mosher.

https://twitter.com/virgingalactic/status/805081639021776896

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #102 on: 12/03/2016 03:22 pm »
Post landing photo from Doug Messier:

https://twitter.com/spacecom/status/805080460548157442

Update: Doug now has a blog post with a number of photos from today's glide test http://www.parabolicarc.com/2016/12/03/photos-spaceshiptwo-glide-flight/
« Last Edit: 12/03/2016 07:56 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #103 on: 12/03/2016 05:11 pm »
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VSS Unity glides for the first time, after being released from WhiteKnightTwo (VMS Eve). Taken today. #SpaceShipTwo

https://twitter.com/virgingalactic/status/805102251035357184

Offline jgoldader

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #104 on: 12/03/2016 05:51 pm »
Excellent!
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Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #105 on: 12/03/2016 11:31 pm »
VG have now tweeted a short video and another glide photo.

https://twitter.com/virgingalactic/status/805199650584072193
« Last Edit: 12/03/2016 11:35 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #106 on: 12/04/2016 12:46 am »
Speaking only for myself there's something about the appearance of this flight article that signals how very safe the experience of riding aboard it will be. I think it is probably the updated paint scheme.

I would put a smiley face here, but I'm actually being serious: the aircraft just looks aerodynamically sound.
« Last Edit: 12/04/2016 12:46 am by sdsds »
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Offline catdlr

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #107 on: 12/04/2016 08:17 am »
VSS Unity First Glide Flight Test

SciNews

Published on Dec 4, 2016
VSS Unity, Virgin Galactic’s second SpaceShipTwo, successfully completed its first glide flight test on 3 December 2016. The flight test lasted 1 hour 20 minute, with VSS Unity in free flight for 10 minutes and achieving a maximum speed of approximately Mach 0.6 while gliding from an altitude of 15 kilometers. Both VSS Unity and the WhiteKnightTwo mothership (VMS Eve) returned safely to ground.

Credit:
Virgin Galactic

(CATDLR: same footage from the tweet posted above)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMORvjo-n1I?t=001

« Last Edit: 12/04/2016 08:18 am by catdlr »
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Offline meekGee

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #108 on: 12/04/2016 10:44 pm »
Speaking only for myself there's something about the appearance of this flight article that signals how very safe the experience of riding aboard it will be. I think it is probably the updated paint scheme.

I would put a smiley face here, but I'm actually being serious: the aircraft just looks aerodynamically sound.
I still see it as fragile.

The proximity of the engine nozzle to all those aerodynamic control surfaces, the fact that it's hinged, etc. 

I agree the paint job looks better though.
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Offline Lee Jay

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #109 on: 12/04/2016 10:54 pm »
Speaking only for myself there's something about the appearance of this flight article that signals how very safe the experience of riding aboard it will be. I think it is probably the updated paint scheme.

I would put a smiley face here, but I'm actually being serious: the aircraft just looks aerodynamically sound.
I still see it as fragile.

I entirely agree.  When I look at that thing, I see the load path from the horizontal stabilizers to the fuselage, which is torturous to say the least.

Offline Rocket Science

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #110 on: 12/04/2016 11:20 pm »
Everything else aside, she does look pretty in flight...
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Offline meekGee

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #111 on: 12/05/2016 12:23 am »
Speaking only for myself there's something about the appearance of this flight article that signals how very safe the experience of riding aboard it will be. I think it is probably the updated paint scheme.

I would put a smiley face here, but I'm actually being serious: the aircraft just looks aerodynamically sound.
I still see it as fragile.

I entirely agree.  When I look at that thing, I see the load path from the horizontal stabilizers to the fuselage, which is torturous to say the least.
Which kind of adds up, since even minor damage to the aerodynamics on the way up (and it's just CF) will be an issue on reentry and the flight down.  And there's no "inspection in orbit" possible or any of that...
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Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #112 on: 12/05/2016 06:29 pm »
Here's a new video from VG about the glide flight, focussing on pilot Mark Stucky.

« Last Edit: 12/05/2016 06:30 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

Offline PhotoEngineer

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #113 on: 12/05/2016 10:31 pm »
Speaking only for myself there's something about the appearance of this flight article that signals how very safe the experience of riding aboard it will be. I think it is probably the updated paint scheme.

I would put a smiley face here, but I'm actually being serious: the aircraft just looks aerodynamically sound.
I still see it as fragile.

I entirely agree.  When I look at that thing, I see the load path from the horizontal stabilizers to the fuselage, which is torturous to say the least.

Keep in mind that entire center wing section is a big carbon wing box, very strong structure.  Not like a typical aircraft wing which has high bending loads and is designed to flex. I bet the angular deflection in their tail control surfaces is very low, even during max aerodynamic loading. As for hinges on wings, look at every Navy aircraft.

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #114 on: 12/06/2016 04:51 am »
As for hinges on wings, look at every Navy aircraft.

Don't the SS2 wings pivot around a single pivot-point rather than fold along a hinge line?
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Offline meekGee

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #115 on: 12/06/2016 06:26 am »
As for hinges on wings, look at every Navy aircraft.

Don't the SS2 wings pivot around a single pivot-point rather than fold along a hinge line?
It's probably a line, but even in navy planes, folding wings are a necessary evil, added complexity and a failure mode, not a zero impact feature...

Here, consider again a hard start or a burp of the engine - right near all those CF surfaces.  How well can that ship reenter and glide with damaged surfaces?  Remember the locking mechanism?  How well can it work if the area near the hinge is damaged?

And this is a brand new engine on each flight, and fired only after release.

It's not a good design concept for a manned system.
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Offline PhotoEngineer

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #116 on: 12/06/2016 08:46 pm »
As for hinges on wings, look at every Navy aircraft.

Don't the SS2 wings pivot around a single pivot-point rather than fold along a hinge line?

It's a hinge along the back of the wing.

http://s.hswstatic.com/gif/virgin-galactic-4.jpg

And meekGee I'll agree that if given a clean sheet, I would have designed a different propulsion system.
« Last Edit: 12/06/2016 08:46 pm by PhotoEngineer »

Offline Vultur

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #117 on: 12/10/2016 01:49 am »
Which kind of adds up, since even minor damage to the aerodynamics on the way up (and it's just CF) will be an issue on reentry and the flight down.  And there's no "inspection in orbit" possible or any of that...

OTOH, while there's no inspection in orbit, the heat loads are far, far less than a reentry from orbit.
The maximum speed of SpaceShipOne was about Mach 3, closer to fast jets than orbital spacecraft.

And this is a brand new engine on each flight, and fired only after release.

The entire engine is replaced, not just the fuel grain?

Offline meekGee

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #118 on: 12/10/2016 01:57 am »
Which kind of adds up, since even minor damage to the aerodynamics on the way up (and it's just CF) will be an issue on reentry and the flight down.  And there's no "inspection in orbit" possible or any of that...

OTOH, while there's no inspection in orbit, the heat loads are far, far less than a reentry from orbit.
The maximum speed of SpaceShipOne was about Mach 3, closer to fast jets than orbital spacecraft.

And this is a brand new engine on each flight, and fired only after release.

The entire engine is replaced, not just the fuel grain?
Of course, but damage from propulsion on ascent is independent of heat loads during reentry.  The point is, if it occurs, you're along for the ride with no ability to inspect or react.  If the vehicle is asymmetrical, I don't know how "care free" reentry will be.

I don't know how much if the engine they replace, but fuel and nozzle, I'm pretty sure.

The whole system is just so much more suitable to an expendable unmanned system than it is to a reusable manned system.  (Not saying it will hold its own against ground-launch system, but that's a separate issue)
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Offline Vultur

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Re: Space Ship Two - General Thread (3)
« Reply #119 on: 12/10/2016 02:13 am »
Of course, but damage from propulsion on ascent is independent of heat loads during reentry.

Oh, sure, I was thinking that the vehicle might be a lot more tolerant of small damage (like Columbia's tile damage) because there isn't the ultra-hot orbital reentry plasma hitting it.

But why would the propulsion break the vehicle's surfaces? Excessive vibration like the previous SS2 had at lower speeds? I guess I was thinking more of 'bird strike' type issues that might damage the vehicle.

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I don't know how much if the engine they replace, but fuel and nozzle, I'm pretty sure.

I'm surprised the nozzle gets replaced... didn't even the Shuttle solids reuse that? Is it an ablatively cooled nozzle or something?

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