Space Ship Two - General Thread

[GraniteHound92]

And here's the press release-

http://www.virgingalactic.com/news/item/virgin-galactic-reaches-new-heights-in-third-supersonic-test-flight/

[Artyom.]

[GraniteHound92]

Great shot!

edit: photo credit- http://www.nbcnews.com/science/liftoff-spaceshiptwo-celebrates-new-year-test-flight-2D11767010

[GraniteHound92]

"Richard Branson ‏@richardbranson
All the pieces are visibly in place for the start of full @VirginGalactic space flights this year http://virg.in/unh5y "

It would be great to see SS2 reach space this year.  I'm confident they can do it.

[Garrett]

Parabolicarc.com ‏@spacecom
Virgin Galactic press release says they tested thermal covering on tail booms and RCS maneuvering system

That's probably the first time I've heard them mentionning the RCS.

and here's more detailed info from the release:

The spaceship’s RCS will allow its pilots to maneuver the vehicle in space, permitting an optimal viewing experience for those on board and aiding the positioning process for spacecraft re-entry.

[Garrett]

according to the press release, images and video will be posted at :
www.image.net/thirdpoweredflight

There's a vehicle fact sheet at that location. Here are some tidbits that were mostly known:

- Planned apogee of spaceflight: at least 110 km
- Zero-g phase – several minutes of out-of-seat time

WK2
- Can simulate SS2 g-force profile
- Both fuselages replicate that of SS2 and right-hand cabin interior is identical, allowing passenger training

[ChrisC]

Great shot!

Credit your photos, please.  Was that one lifted from this NBC article?

http://www.nbcnews.com/science/liftoff-spaceshiptwo-celebrates-new-year-test-flight-2D11767010

[GraniteHound92]

Great shot!

Credit your photos, please.  Was that one lifted from this NBC article?

http://www.nbcnews.com/science/liftoff-spaceshiptwo-celebrates-new-year-test-flight-2D11767010

Yep.  I edited the post and credited the photo.  Thanks for pointing that out.

[Nickolai]

A couple really good photos over at ParabolicArc, including one just after engine ignition that includes the start of the SS2 exhaust trail:

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/01/10/exclusive-images-spaceshiptwo-firing-engine/

[GraniteHound92]

No, I think 40 mins to an hour is usual. SS1 used to take about an hour to get to altitude.

http://www.image.net/thirdpoweredflight

Vehicle fact sheet on that site says-

Flight Profile
-Total independent flight time around 30 minutes; flight time including captive carry by WhiteKnightTwo around two hours

[VDD1991]

Congratulations to Scaled Composites for their successful flight of SpaceShipTwo!

The timing of the flight is significant as it comes in the year of the 10th anniversary of SpaceShipTwo's first flight to the edge of space. We'll see if the pilots of SpaceShipTwo can ace as many as 12 powered flights this year because Virgin Galactic has repeatedly promised to start passenger flights of SpaceShipTwo this year. In particular, SpaceShipTwo may one day set an absolute speed record for a privately funded rocketplane by reaching Mach 3.7 for 20 minutes.

Here are several points of a New Year's resolution for 2014 by Scaled Composites regarding SpaceShipTwo:

1. Send SpaceShipTwo through Mach 4.
2. Lay the framework for a giant derivative of SpaceShipTwo with a delta wing and accommodations for 23 passengers that can travel at Mach 5 for 2 hours.
3. Make the first ever rocket powered passenger flight.   

[GraniteHound92]

The same site, http://www.image.net/thirdpoweredflight, now has a downloadable video from the flight.

[corrodedNut]

[Danderman]

10.01.14
VIRGIN GALACTIC REACHES NEW HEIGHTS IN THIRD SUPERSONIC TEST FLIGHT

http://www.virgingalactic.com/news/item/virgin-galactic-reaches-new-heights-in-third-supersonic-test-flight/

SS2’s propulsion system has been developed by Sierra Nevada Corp and is the world’s largest operational hybrid rocket motor. Although today’s flight saw it burn for a planned 20 seconds, the system has been successfully tested in ground firings to demonstrate performance characteristics and burn time sufficient to take the spaceship and its private astronauts to space.

[Garrett]

<YouTube video "v=YNsxfYml-dc" snipped>

The user who posted that video allowed YouTube to correct for shakiness. Not a great idea, turned out weird.

[Jester]

Video and download:
http://www.image.net/previewAsset/206370189/false/thirdpoweredflight

http://www.image.net/download/thirdpoweredflight/false/206370189.206370190

[vtirag]

At the end of the video there is a relatively close view of the tail section of SS2 after the flight. The new shiny coating looks shriveled up quite a bit. Looks like there is good reason for using it.

[rpapo]

If you look carefully earlier in the video, that blistering or distortion seems to already have been there, before the engine ignited.  Damage in a previous flight, resulting in the addition of the reflective coating?

At least that's what it seemed like to me.

[corgius]

at 3.51, is seems to me that there is the use of the RCS

[vtirag]

If you look carefully earlier in the video, that blistering or distortion seems to already have been there, before the engine ignited.  Damage in a previous flight, resulting in the addition of the reflective coating?

At least that's what it seemed like to me.

You are right, should have watched in better quality... It looks like there is an oval shaped elevation under the coating that is part of the tail.