Author Topic: Space Ship Two - General Thread (Read 764504 times)

Robert Thompson · « **Reply #360 on:** 04/05/2011 07:40 am »

@ "Sanger Silbervogel, X-20 Dynasoar"

The retro Syd Meadean art on the Wiki "Dynasoar" was a puff of fresh air.
"On 19 January 1963 the Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, directed the Air Force to undertake a study to determine whether Gemini or Dyna-Soar was the more feasible approach to a space-based weapon system. In the middle of March 1963, after receiving the study, Secretary McNamara "stated that the Air Force had been placing too much emphasis on controlled re-entry when it did not have any real objectives for orbital flight".[6] This was seen as a reversal of the Secretary's earlier position on the Dyna-Soar program."
Putting 2 and 2 together, which could be 5, it seems to me that something changed between "let's do pure research on how to bomb accurately" to "we better get practical results on how to bomb in general", a case of 'better is the enemy of good enough'. Am I off?

starsalor · « **Reply #361 on:** 04/05/2011 08:41 am »

What does THIS have to do with " SpaceShip 2 "

?

mlorrey · « **Reply #362 on:** 04/06/2011 05:41 am »

Quote from: starsalor on 04/05/2011 08:41 am

What does THIS have to do with " SpaceShip 2 " ?

It pertains to questions people have had about the expandability of SS2 for long distance suborbital trips, like transatlantic or transpacific flights.

SS2 doesnt have the TPS, really, to handle the speed needed for a long range skipdiving. I've seen some analyses that say it could go at most about 600 miles distance on its current expected capability. That doesnt mean it couldn't be improved at some point.

Lewis007 · « **Reply #363 on:** 04/07/2011 07:25 am »

SpaceShipTwo flew into San Francisco International Airport (SFO) with its mothership WhiteKnightTwo to mark the opening of the airport's new Terminal 2, where Virgin America – a California-based sister company to Virgin Galactic – will serve as an anchor tenant. The Virgin America aircraft "My Other Ride Is a Spaceship" accompanied the SpaceShipTwo and its carrier into the airport.

Source: http://www.space.com/11321-virgin-galactic-spaceshiptwo-photos-san-francisco.html

Some pretty pictures can be found at the Flickr page of Virgin Galactic.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/virgingalactic/

kevin-rf · « **Reply #364 on:** 04/08/2011 07:56 pm »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI9tKWBIvdA&feature=player_embedded#at=21

kevin-rf · « **Reply #365 on:** 04/08/2011 08:02 pm »

Even more awesome

mr. mark · « **Reply #366 on:** 04/08/2011 08:08 pm »

Sir Richard is milking every possible publicity opportunity from SS2. I'll start paying attention when powered flights start happening, hopefully soon.....

Robert Thompson · « **Reply #367 on:** 04/08/2011 11:42 pm »

Quote from: mr. mark on 04/08/2011 08:08 pm

Sir Richard is milking every possible publicity opportunity from SS2. I'll start paying attention when powered flights start happening, hopefully soon.....

My only hypothesis is that Richard Branson bit your dog while pouring rice down your radiator. Did you have the volume up? Those are the voices of Americans of voting age or near.

Cog_in_the_machine · « **Reply #368 on:** 04/09/2011 08:49 am »

That's an excellent marketing strategy.

daver · « **Reply #369 on:** 04/09/2011 10:24 pm »

This is what it looked like from the outside.

mlorrey · « **Reply #370 on:** 04/09/2011 10:45 pm »

Gee, now that BBC has BBC America, and Virgin has Virgin America, when will Britain apply to be the 51st, 52nd, 53rd, and 54th states?

Jason1701 · « **Reply #371 on:** 04/09/2011 11:34 pm »

Quote from: mlorrey on 04/09/2011 10:45 pm

Gee, now that BBC has BBC America, and Virgin has Virgin America, when will Britain apply to be the 51st, 52nd, 53rd, and 54th states?

Whenever they want to be responsible for a boatload more debt.

Alpha Control · « **Reply #372 on:** 04/10/2011 03:58 am »

Virgin Galactic announced on Friday April 8th that they are hiring more SS2 pilots:

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?channel=awst&id=news/awst/2011/04/11/AW_04_11_2011_p34-307262.xml&headline=Virgin%20Galactic%20Hiring%20SpaceShip%20Pilots&prev=10

The current Virgin Galactic test pilot, former RAF pilot David MacKay, is working with Scaled to prepare for the start of spaceflight as early as next year.

From the article:

“The sort of person we’re looking for is somebody with some decent experience—not just a few flights but some proper background in large aircraft with asymmetric thrust-handling issues,” MacKay says. “And for SpaceShip it needs to be somebody who’s been in pretty dynamic, fighter-type vehicles.”

Virgin will post its job offering for SpaceShip pilots on April 11 at: www.virgingalactic.com/careers. Virgin Atlantic will help sift the expected influx of applications, and Scaled Composites also will have a say in the hiring once the applicants are winnowed.

Robert Thompson · « **Reply #373 on:** 04/10/2011 08:04 am »

Quote from: Alpha Control on 04/10/2011 03:58 am

“The sort of person we’re looking for is somebody with some decent experience—not just a few flights but some proper background in large aircraft with asymmetric thrust-handling issues,” MacKay says. “And for SpaceShip it needs to be somebody who’s been in pretty dynamic, fighter-type vehicles.”

Cue short of Darth Vader filling out forms in triplicate, then interview, then waiting by his iPhone.

Cog_in_the_machine · « **Reply #374 on:** 04/10/2011 09:10 am »

Quote from: Hernalt on 04/10/2011 08:04 am

Cue short of Darth Vader filling out forms in triplicate, then interview, then waiting by his iPhone.

Someone should really make a video similar to Palpatine looks for a job.

Only it should star Vader and involve him terrifying SpaceShip Two's passengers and personnel

I can see it now...

Recruiter - Are you sure you can fit in the cockpit?
Vader - I find your lack of faith disturbing.

Branson - [makes a speech about how awesome SpaceShip Two is]
Vader - Don't be too proud of this vehicle you've constructed. The ability to do suborbital tourist flights is insignificant next to the power of the force.

Technicians perform a checkout of SpaceShip Two, but they're a bit behind schedule. Vader approaches one of them:
Vader - Are the preparations complete.
Technitian - Not yet, but I assure you we're working as fast as we can.
Vader - Perhaps I can find new ways to motivate you.

Robert Thompson · « **Reply #375 on:** 04/10/2011 02:03 pm »

Yuri: She's fast enough for you, old man. What's the cargo?

U.S. astronaut: Only passengers. Myself, my colleague, two experiments, and no questions asked.

Yuri: What is it? Some kind of local trouble?

U.S. astronaut: Let's just say we'd like to avoid any cost-plus contracts.

Yuri: Well, that's the trick, isn't it? And it's going to cost you something extra. Sixty three million in advance.

Other U.S. astronaut: Sixty three million? We could almost buy our own ship for that!

Ronsmytheiii · « **Reply #376 on:** 04/22/2011 04:18 pm »

Per twitter, seems that Space ship two has finally performed a glide test:

Quote

spotter reports in #Mojave say SpaceShipTwo is doing a glide test flight right now

http://twitter.com/#!/ikluft

jabe · « **Reply #377 on:** 04/22/2011 09:44 pm »

and test results are up...

nothing major in them but still good to see all is well and it is flying..albeit without the motor...
lots of air time this time
jb

Quote

Flight:    56 / GF05
Date:    22 Apr 11   Flight Time:    14 min, 31 sec
SS2 Pilot:   Siebold   SS2 CoPilot:   Shane
GS Crew:   Binnie, Kelley, Bassett, Tighe, Reid, Keller, Verderame, Maisler, Zeitlin

Objectives:
Clean release
Evaluate stability and control
Continued flutter envelope expansion
Pilot proficiency

Results:
Clean release at desired altitude. Glide test objectives complete without issues.

Lewis007 · « **Reply #378 on:** 04/23/2011 07:42 am »

More info and pictures of the April 22 flight of SS2 here: http://www.space.com/11472-virgin-galactic-spaceshiptwo-longest-glide-test-flight.html

Moe Grills · « **Reply #379 on:** 04/23/2011 11:45 pm »

Quote from: Lewis007 on 04/23/2011 07:42 am

More info and pictures of the April 22 flight of SS2 here: http://www.space.com/11472-virgin-galactic-spaceshiptwo-longest-glide-test-flight.html

Great update, Lewis.
BTW...Yes, I'm glad I wasn't totally right
about what I posted about WK2/SS2 (a couple of months ago?).
I indicated, then, that weather conditions would (likely) ground
WK2/SS2 for several months further.
Well, I'm glad to say it hasn't been several months; and the glide flights have now resumed, and their frequency will increase.

I now predict that there will be (perhaps) five more unpowered glide flights of SS2, before the first powered flight in the second-half of this year. Before the end of the year, I think, SS2 will finally poke its nose
into outer space.