Virgin Galactic and Virgin Orbit are two separate companies, sharing nothing more than a half a brand name. Different staff, different facilities, different products.
Quote from: edzieba on 08/03/2022 10:29 amVirgin Galactic and Virgin Orbit are two separate companies, sharing nothing more than a half a brand name. Different staff, different facilities, different products.I know that but is possible that Virgin Galactic uses these engines...the major problem with spaceships before is the hybrid engines.I wait for the answer from the company.
Quote from: Tywin on 08/03/2022 11:01 amQuote from: edzieba on 08/03/2022 10:29 amVirgin Galactic and Virgin Orbit are two separate companies, sharing nothing more than a half a brand name. Different staff, different facilities, different products.I know that but is possible that Virgin Galactic uses these engines...the major problem with spaceships before is the hybrid engines.I wait for the answer from the company.The hybrid-fuel rocket engine was chosen for SpaceShipOne and later SpaceShipTwo and SpaceShipTwo in order to tackle the disadvantages of liquid- and solid-fuel rockets, namely the dangers of propellant handling and mechanical complexity.
Combines the difficulties of solids with the difficulties of liquids and the advantages of neither.
Virgin Galactic is proud to introduce our new primary suppliers: @Bellflight & Qarbon Aerospace, who will manufacture the major subassemblies for our Delta class spaceships.
02 November 2022Virgin Galactic Announces Primary Suppliers for Delta Class SpaceshipsBell Textron Inc. and Qarbon Aerospace to manufacture major subassemblies for the next generation spaceshipsDesign work to begin immediately with vehicle production targeted to commence in 2023TUSTIN, Calif.- November 2, 2022 - Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SPCE) (the “Company” or “Virgin Galactic”), an aerospace and space travel company, today announced that it has reached agreement with Bell Textron Inc. (Bell) and Qarbon Aerospace to manufacture key subassemblies for the Company’s new Delta class spaceships. The production-model vehicle is designed to fly weekly with six passengers per ship. Production is slated to begin in 2023.Bell, a subsidiary of Textron Inc. with more than 85 years of manufacturing experience in the aviation industry, will supply the unique feathering system and flight control surfaces. Qarbon Aerospace, known for its expertise in constructing large, complex composite parts for aerospace and aviation, will produce the fuselage and wing. The companies were selected following a competitive RFP process based on their ability to meet Virgin Galactic’s unique design and fabrication requirements.Virgin Galactic will continue to be responsible for the overall system architecture, design authority for all components, and the final assembly, integration, checkout, and acceptance testing of the vehicles.“The Delta class spaceships are an evolution of our distinctive flight system, designed for improved manufacturability, maintenance and flight rate capability,” said Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier. “Bell and Qarbon Aerospace are established partners who bring know-how, ideas and resources that will enable us to produce up to six new Delta Class ships per year. Together with Aurora Flight Sciences, who is producing our next gen motherships, we now have the primary suppliers in place to propel the production of our spaceline fleet at scale.”Bell Vice President of Prototyping and Testing, Glenn Isbell said, “We are honored Virgin Galactic has chosen Bell to support flight control technology and aircraft manufacturing for its Delta Class Spaceship Program. Bell’s 85-year legacy consists of revolutionary advancements in vertical lift and space technology, and we’re thrilled to make this exciting return to space vehicle development to help bring Virgin Galactic’s vision to life.”Qarbon Aerospace CEO, Pete Wick said, “We are truly honored that Virgin Galactic has selected Qarbon Aerospace to play such a critical role on this cutting-edge technology platform taking passenger spaceflight to the next level. This is the beginning of what I know is going to be a long and extremely successful partnership.”As previously announced, the spaceships will be assembled at Virgin Galactic’s new facility in Arizona. The first Delta class spaceships are expected to commence revenue-generating payload flights in late 2025, progressing to private astronaut flights in 2026.“After a highly competitive and methodical selection process, we are thrilled to be partnering with Bell and Qarbon Aerospace,” added Swami Iyer, Virgin Galactic President, Aerospace Systems. The Delta spaceship manufacturing process will benefit from our investment in digital twin technology, which enables seamless integration, real-time collaboration, strong governance, and increased production efficiency and reliability.”About Virgin Galactic HoldingsVirgin Galactic is an aerospace and space travel company, pioneering human spaceflight for private individuals and researchers with its advanced air and space vehicles. It is developing a spaceflight system designed to connect the world to the wonder and awe created by space travel and to offer customers a transformative experience. You can find more information at https://www.virgingalactic.com/About Qarbon Aerospace Qarbon Aerospace, headquartered in Red Oak, Texas,is a leading provider of large, complex composite and metallic structural components and assemblies such as fuselages, wings, flight control surfaces, and engine nacelles and components. Qarbon Aerospace operates nearly two million square feet of factory space across three facilities located in Red Oak, Texas, Milledgeville, Georgia, and Rayong, Thailand. Qarbon Aerospace has vertically integrated manufacturing capabilities from component fabrication through large-scale assembly as well as world-leading proprietary thermoplastics technologies. Qarbon Aerospace has longstanding relationships with blue-chip OEM customers and a diversified product portfolio across a variety of successful commercial, defense, and business jet platforms. Qarbon Aerospace has the capabilities and resources to solve the market’s toughest challenges with Quality Assured. You can find more information at www.QarbonAerospace.com.About BellThinking above and beyond is what we do. For more than 85 years, we’ve been reimagining the experience of flight – and where it can take us. We are pioneers. We were the first to break the sound barrier and to certify a commercial helicopter. We were a part of NASA’s first lunar mission and brought advanced tiltrotor systems to market. Today, we’re defining the future of advanced air mobility. Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas – as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., – we have strategic locations around the globe. And with nearly one quarter of our workforce having served, helping our military achieve their missions is a passion of ours. Above all, our breakthrough innovations deliver exceptional experiences to our customers. Efficiently. Reliably. And always, with safety at the forefront.About TextronTextron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, and Textron Systems. For more information, visit: www.textron.com.
Business Highlights and Recent Updates:On November 2, 2022, we announced Bell Textron and Qarbon Aerospace as primary suppliers to build Delta Class spaceships. The first Delta Class spaceship is expected to be completed in 2025.On track to launch commercial service in Q2 2023.
From today’s financial results:https://investors.virgingalactic.com/news/news-details/2022/Virgin-Galactic-Announces-Third-Quarter-2022-Financial-Results-And-Provides-Business-Update/default.aspxQuoteBusiness Highlights and Recent Updates:On November 2, 2022, we announced Bell Textron and Qarbon Aerospace as primary suppliers to build Delta Class spaceships. The first Delta Class spaceship is expected to be completed in 2025.On track to launch commercial service in Q2 2023.
“The Delta class will be the driver of revenue growth and profitability for the company,” said Doug Ahrens, chief financial officer, on the call. “We expect very attractive margins from the operation of our six-seat Delta class vehicles.”With a ticket price of at least $450,000 per customer, Virgin Galactic expects to generate a minimum of $2.7 million in revenue per flight. The operating costs per flight are about $400,000, which include the costs of flying both the spaceplane and its mothership as well as training and hospitality costs for its astronauts. The company projects the amortized cost of each Delta-class spaceplane at $100,000 to $120,000 per flight, based on a production cost of $50 million to $60 million and estimated lifetime of 500 flights.If those numbers hold, Ahrens said that would result in healthy profit margins. With a flight rate of once per week, each Delta-class vehicle would pay for itself in about six months, he projected.
According to Space News ( https://spacenews.com/virgin-buys-out-scaleds-share-spaceship-co/ ) VG bought Scaled's interest in TSC back in late 2013. What that means in terms of who is really doing the work I don't know, but taken at face value, Scaled has nothing to do with building SS2 any more.
Quote from: ccdengr on 11/02/2022 09:51 pmAccording to Space News ( https://spacenews.com/virgin-buys-out-scaleds-share-spaceship-co/ ) VG bought Scaled's interest in TSC back in late 2013. What that means in terms of who is really doing the work I don't know, but taken at face value, Scaled has nothing to do with building SS2 any more. Before Elon there was Burt. I always thought people, including Richard, vastly underestimated his importance to the company.
Quote from: Nomadd on 05/10/2023 03:38 amQuote from: ccdengr on 11/02/2022 09:51 pmAccording to Space News ( https://spacenews.com/virgin-buys-out-scaleds-share-spaceship-co/ ) VG bought Scaled's interest in TSC back in late 2013. What that means in terms of who is really doing the work I don't know, but taken at face value, Scaled has nothing to do with building SS2 any more. Before Elon there was Burt. I always thought people, including Richard, vastly underestimated his importance to the company.Burt always seemed to come up with a solution, however unusual, to each problem as it popped up. Though I don't know what he would have done to fix the issues with hybrid rocket engines. They are just not a good idea.
Quote from: Eric Hedman on 05/10/2023 04:46 amQuote from: Nomadd on 05/10/2023 03:38 amQuote from: ccdengr on 11/02/2022 09:51 pmAccording to Space News ( https://spacenews.com/virgin-buys-out-scaleds-share-spaceship-co/ ) VG bought Scaled's interest in TSC back in late 2013. What that means in terms of who is really doing the work I don't know, but taken at face value, Scaled has nothing to do with building SS2 any more. Before Elon there was Burt. I always thought people, including Richard, vastly underestimated his importance to the company.Burt always seemed to come up with a solution, however unusual, to each problem as it popped up. Though I don't know what he would have done to fix the issues with hybrid rocket engines. They are just not a good idea.The problem was that Burt Rutan (and the rest of the Mojave circle) were captivated by airplanes. It had to have wings, use a runway, have a crew that could walk slowly towards the vehicle at dawn with helmets hung under-hand... That captivation was their downfall. Burt Rutan (and other super-talented people there like Jeff Greason for example) could solve almost any problem, but they were fighting problems that never should have existed.
