VgGalactic press release thread

[docmordrid]

Functionality aside, they're pretty ladies...all 3 of 'em

I managed to get most of the press kit down and peruse the images.  A bit of the original 787 wing tips, a bit of Gulf Stream and a whole lot of Rutan...especially in WK2.  

Read somewhere (it's been a busy day) that they're working with companies who want to use WK2's wing.  Sounds like a side benefit for their bottom line.

[Blackstar]

[Blackstar]

[sitharus]

If you want some propaganda watch the Galactic Video (About 3/4 of the way down http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/, 238MB video). I really liked the bit where they went all environmental, saying how the Shuttle's SRBs are horrible polluting things, whereas they are much better and smaller. Someone should point out to them the huge differences between the systems...

[Chris Bergin]

sitharus - 23/1/2008  10:17 PM

I really liked the bit where they went all environmental, saying how the Shuttle's SRBs are horrible polluting things, whereas they are much better and smaller. Someone should point out to them the huge differences between the systems...

Yep, they keep banging on about comparing themselves to the shuttle. I think an e-mail might be warranted.

[Ronsmytheiii]

Chris Bergin - 23/1/2008  5:26 PM

sitharus - 23/1/2008  10:17 PM

I really liked the bit where they went all environmental, saying how the Shuttle's SRBs are horrible polluting things, whereas they are much better and smaller. Someone should point out to them the huge differences between the systems...

Yep, they keep banging on about comparing themselves to the shuttle. I think an e-mail might be warranted.

Q:  The Shuttle pushes up to seven crew and 24000 kg to orbit, how much does virgin put in orbit. oh wait wait...

I do support Virgin and their push for commercial spaceflight, but it would be more accurate to compare Spaceship two with the x-15 or mercury/Redstone than the shuttle.  Demonstrate rendezvous, in orbit repair, docking, orbital maneuvering, heck even show me orbital flight before comparing to shuttle.  A donkey cart is safer and more environmentally friendly than a tank, but that does not mean it is just as impressive.

[Chris Bergin]

I'm asking her (VG PAO) why they are comparing a Tuk Tuk to an 18 wheeler truck

[meiza]

Could someone knowledgeable in the composite business explain about the build process?
http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Photographs/SpaceShipTwo%20Construction/SpaceShipTwo%20Construction.%20wing%20assembly.jpg
What's the black material? And the yellow section?

[Namechange User]

The Virgin airlines put out how much CO2 through their engines each day?  I realize that this is Virgin GALACTIC but as long as they are goiing to draw conclusions from comparing apples to oranges......

[nacnud]

Well virgin is looking into biofuels for their aircraft, but claiming that SS2 is green is a bit of a stretch. You may as well claim that it's a carbon sink because is it made for carbon fibre...

[vt_hokie]

Sure has changed a lot from the early concept drawings!

[nacnud]

Yep, but were those early drawings ever accurate? IIRC they came with a big disclaimer saying that they were only showing the concept in general.

[docmordrid]

That's correct.  The only thing that was concrete in that pre-release was the interior.

[A_M_Swallow]

Chris Bergin - 23/1/2008  10:26 PM

sitharus - 23/1/2008  10:17 PM

I really liked the bit where they went all environmental, saying how the Shuttle's SRBs are horrible polluting things, whereas they are much better and smaller. Someone should point out to them the huge differences between the systems...

Yep, they keep banging on about comparing themselves to the shuttle. I think an e-mail might be warranted.

A better comparison would be with Concorde.  Both fly high and fast but do not go into space.  Although this aircraft may be able to fly across the Pacific, say Tokyo to Los Angeles.

[meiza]

It doesn't have anywhere NEAR the performance to fly from Tokyo to Los Angeles, that's much over 5000 km. This does 100 km hops. It probably couldn't fly form New York to Chicago.

[A_M_Swallow]

meiza - 24/1/2008  3:42 AM

It doesn't have anywhere NEAR the performance to fly from Tokyo to Los Angeles, that's much over 5000 km. This does 100 km hops. It probably couldn't fly form New York to Chicago.

That sounds more like the height rather than the length of the flight.  
"During their G Force acclimatization program, the participants were spun to 3.5GZ (head to toe) and 6GX (front to back) to simulate the actual flight profile of SpaceShipTwo during a 110km (68 miles) apogee sub-orbital space flight."

Going back to an older press release
http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Press%20Releases/European%20Virgin%20Galactic%20ASA%20Release%2013JUN07.pdf
"a sensational spaceflight lasting over two hours." and "Traveling at almost 3,000 miles an hour ..."
2 * 3,000 / 2 = 3,000 miles (approx)

The tourist flights are probably in a circle.

edit - it is accelerating so it is half the distance.

[Comga]

A_M_Swallow - 23/1/2008  10:15 PM
Going back to an older press release
"a sensational spaceflight lasting over two hours." and "Traveling at almost 3,000 miles an hour ..."
2 * 3,000 = 6,000 miles (approx)

Bad approximations.  It doesn't maintain 3000 mph for more than a tiny fraction of the two hours.
There was a graph of altitude, velocity, acceleration and a few more data in Aviation Week back in '04 IIRC.  If you, or anyone, could find that, you would see.

Maximum range is an interesting problem, but it is not likely to be significant.  If SS2 were to rocket  out of the atmosphere at, say, 45 degrees, it would be going about 2000 mph laterally but would cut its peak altitude and free-fall duration, and so would travel at this speed for perhaps three minutes.  2000 mph * 1/20 hr = 100 miles (very approx, as you say)

[Comga]

PurduesUSAFguy - 23/1/2008  11:05 AMI'd love to see how/if/when Rutan can parlay his work on SSI/II into an orbital system.

Has anyone found in the release the loaded mass of SS2?  It would be interesting to compare it to a Pegasus and the proposed t-Space Quickreach.  The release does mention using White Knight 2 for this kind of operation.

[CuddlyRocket]

Branson needs to stress the environmental aspects of the design, as private space-flights are already drawing flak as polluting joy-rides for the rich. It's undoubtedly unfair to compare it to the STS, but it's also undoubtedly true that it will be much less polluting than the latter!

Intersting that they're already thinking of different markets for the system. I'm sure there'll be a demand for experimental use (especially if the experimenters get to go up with their experiments!). Not mentioned so far (probably after flight testing), though sure to come, is commerical advertising and sponsorship deals, which must be worth millions. Given the figures, this is not insignificant.

I think Branson has a good chance of creating the world's first commercial space-line, which should ensure his place in history!

I think this is the route by which (relatively) low-cost LEO access will eventually come. Once in place, the drive will always be to reduce the unit cost and lengthen the experience. I don't know the range of SS2 in cross-country mode (though you can glide quite a way if you start 100 miles up, and the carrier craft wouldn't go round in circles whilst reaching launch height), but at some point in development the cost/range/time of flight equation will produce a marketable advantage over aircraft.

[Jim]

CuddlyRocket - 24/1/2008  5:46 AM

 I don't know the range of SS2 in cross-country mode (though you can glide quite a way if you start 100 miles up, and the carrier craft wouldn't go round in circles whilst reaching launch height), but at some point in development the cost/range/time of flight equation will produce a marketable advantage over aircraft.

Few hundred miles.     It doesn't glide during entry.   I doubt it is viable for long range.  It would need to be a magnitude larger for distance