Author Topic: Space Ship Two - General Thread (Read 768930 times)

jabe · « **Reply #260 on:** 10/10/2010 02:38 pm »

looks like National Geographoic is filming..I hope in HD

form here

Quote

I'm 50 yds from flight control tower. Branson, in jeans/black leather jacket, doing interviews, taping for NatGeo documentary.

edit:SS2 at 42kft...almost there....

jabe · « **Reply #261 on:** 10/10/2010 02:52 pm »

5 minutes to drop...60 seconds/..
and release...

Bubbinski · « **Reply #262 on:** 10/10/2010 02:57 pm »

The Spacevidcast on Ustream isn't showing this, so thank you jabe for your updates

Retired Downrange · « **Reply #263 on:** 10/10/2010 02:59 pm »

PopMech "2g pull coming" is call from cockpit as White Knight comes around, turning back to the east. #spaceshiptwo
less than a minute ago

PopMech The three aircraft are directly overhead now. SpaceShip, StarShip and White Knight. #spaceshiptwo
2 minutes ago

PopMech Cheers and whistles and applause. #spaceshiptwo
4 minutes ago

PopMech "Beautiful day to go flying" is the call from the cockpit. "We are armed, four three two one Release release release!" #spaceshiptwo
4 minutes ago

jabe · « **Reply #264 on:** 10/10/2010 02:59 pm »

from this tweet

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"2g pull coming" is call from cockpit as White Knight comes around, turning back to the east. #spaceshiptwo

and

Quote

"What a beautiful flying airplane" call from the pilot.

Retired Downrange · « **Reply #265 on:** 10/10/2010 03:06 pm »

PopMech White knight in sharp bankinturn now. Descending fast. Landing imminent. #spaceshiptwo
less than a minute ago

PopMech The Extra 3000 stunt plane is buzzing overhead. #spaceshiptwo
2 minutes ago

PopMech MotherShip, or WhiteKnight, is testing air brakes. Now at 13000 feet and descending. #spaceshiptwo
2 minutes ago

PopMech Pete Siebold is pilot, Mike Alsbury is co-pilot #spaceshiptwo
2 minutes ago

PopMech "What a beautiful flying airplane" call from the pilot. #spaceshiptwo

jabe · « **Reply #266 on:** 10/10/2010 03:07 pm »

and down safely

robertross · « **Reply #267 on:** 10/10/2010 03:08 pm »

This should have been moved to the live thread...oh well. Great to follow her test flight.

robertross · « **Reply #268 on:** 10/10/2010 03:08 pm »

Quote from: jabe on 10/10/2010 03:07 pm

and down safely

Yay. Thanks for noting that.

jabe · « **Reply #269 on:** 10/10/2010 03:10 pm »

love to see some pics... everyone still asleep over there?

jabe · « **Reply #270 on:** 10/10/2010 03:13 pm »

now to take it back up for another drop test...oh I wish it was true

SpacexULA · « **Reply #271 on:** 10/10/2010 03:13 pm »

Ohh this is going to be some FUN video. All that Scaled hardware in the air at once, If only Armadillo and Scaled had brought their Rocket powered Long-EZ clones out.

Retired Downrange · « **Reply #272 on:** 10/10/2010 03:19 pm »

popmech
WhiteKnight doing a flyby at no more than 500 feet. Very trippy to see a double-fuselage plane gliding by so gracefully. #spaceshiptwo
3 minutes ago

jabe · « **Reply #273 on:** 10/10/2010 03:40 pm »

Looks like White Knight 2 has landed as well..let the celebration begin for them..but first..
Give us a vid or two

jb

docmordrid · « **Reply #274 on:** 10/10/2010 03:42 pm »

Just flat out sweet

Hope someone posts video to YouTube soon.

jabe · « **Reply #275 on:** 10/10/2010 03:57 pm »

Virgin galactic sent this tweet

Quote

Stunning images of the historic flight will soon be available, will let you know as soon as they are!

lets hope its soon.. and not tomorrow

jb

jabe · « **Reply #276 on:** 10/10/2010 04:37 pm »

first "bystander pic" is from taxing back to hangar here..from popmech

jabe · « **Reply #277 on:** 10/10/2010 06:20 pm »

some pics are up at the virgin ftp site..

edit..quick pic

jabe · « **Reply #278 on:** 10/10/2010 06:29 pm »

from a press release..

FIRST COMMERCIAL SPACELINER MAKES HISTORY AND LAUNCHES NEW NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL SERIES VIRGIN GALACTIC

Exclusive Documentary Coverage of Historic Milestones on Path to Space Tourism

(WASHINGTON, D.C. / MOJAVE, CALIF. — OCTOBER 11, 2010) History was made Sunday, October 10, on the path to the launch of the first commercial spaceliner with news of the first successful glide involving the mother ship, WhiteKnightTwo, and smaller spaceship, the VSS Enterprise, which safely separated at an altitude of 40,000 feet before returning to earth. The process of reaching this milestone has been documented for the premiere of National Geographic Channel’s (NGC) highly anticipated four-part series, Virgin Galactic, which is documenting the historic process and milestones leading up to the first commercial space flight.

Premiering Monday, October 18, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NGC, Virgin Galactic provides exclusive documentary coverage of maverick entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson and legendary aeronautical engineer Burt Rutan as they strive to be first to make space tourism an everyday reality. Also included in the premiere episode will be the backstory of the venture, including Rutan’s win of the Ansari X Prize with SpaceShipOne and WhiteKnightOne.

“This series represents what we are all about — historic drama and adventure,” commented Steve Burns, NGC’s executive vice president of content. “We are honored to provide people with a window into the historic work of the incredible team at Virgin Galactic and Scaled Composites as well as the vision of Burt Rutan and Richard Branson, whose drive and passion promise to make space travel a reality.”

Background footage, including the maiden flight of mother ship WhiteKnightTwo, and images are available at www.virgingalactic.com/glideflight . For National Geographic Channel footage, maximum 3-minute use and mandatory lower third: Courtesy NGC: Virgin Galactic is required.

For more information, visit natgeotv.com/space .

jabe · « **Reply #279 on:** 10/10/2010 06:35 pm »

and another press release about flight

VIRGIN GALACTIC'S SPACESHIPTWO ACHIEVES MAJOR MILESTONE IN ITS PROGRAM TO BECOME WORLD'S FIRST MANNED COMMERCIAL SPACE VEHICLE.

VSS Enterprise achieves manned free flight from over 45,000 ft (13,700 metres) and successfully glides in 11 minutes to land at Mojave Air and Spaceport

10th October 2010, Mojave, CA. Virgin Galactic, the US company developing the world’s first commercial manned space flight system and tourism business, is delighted to announce the successful completion today of the first piloted free flight of SpaceShipTwo, named the VSS Enterprise. The spaceship was released from its mothership at an altitude of 45,000 ft
(13,700 metres).

During its first flight the spaceship was piloted by Pete Siebold, assisted by Mike Alsbury as co-pilot. The two main goals of the flight were to carry out a clean release of the spaceship from its mothership and for the pilots to free fly and glide back and land at Mojave Air and Space Port in California.

Other detailed objectives of the flight were successfully completed, including; verification that all systems worked prior and following the clean release of Enterprise; initial evaluation of handling and stall characteristics; qualitative evaluation of stability and control of SS2 against predictions from design and simulation work; verification of performance by evaluating the lift-to-drag ratio of the spaceship during glide flight; practice a landing approach at altitude and finally descend and land.

Preparations for the milestone flight were extensive. The WhiteKnightTwo mothership (Eve) flew 40 times including 4 captive carry flights of spaceship and mothership mated together. The most recent captive carry was on Sept 30th. The most recent solo flight was on October 5th and demonstrated that all the systems required for a free flight by the VSS Enterprise were functioning correctly without any safety issues. Commenting on the successful flight Scaled Composites pilot, Pete Siebold, said “The VSS Enterprise was a real joy to fly, especially when one considers the fact that the vehicle has been designed not only to be a Mach 3.5 spaceship capable of going into space but also one of the worlds highest altitude gliders.”

Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, who was present during the first successful flight, added “This was one of the most exciting days in the whole history of Virgin. For the first time since we seriously began the project in 2004, I watched the world’s first manned commercial spaceship landing on the runway at Mojave Air and Space Port and it was a great moment. Now, the sky is no longer the limit and we will begin the process of pushing beyond to the final frontier of space itself over the next year.”

Virgin Galactic is now well on the way to becoming the world’s first commercial space line with 370 customer deposits totalling $50 million. Future commercial operations will be at Spaceport America in New Mexico where final preparations are taking place for a finished runway inauguration ceremony on Friday 22nd October 2010. National Geographic channel in the United States will be showing a documentary on the build up and preparation for the first flight of VSS Enterprise on Monday, 18 October at 10.00pm ET/PT.

George Whitesides, CEO of Virgin Galactic who was also present at the historic flight, added “To see the world’s first manned commercial spaceship landing on a runway is a sight I always dreamed I would behold. Now, our challenge going forward will be to complete our experimental program, obtain our FAA licence and safely bring the system into service at Spaceport America, New Mexico.”