posted 12-20-2012 05:38 PM               

SpaceShipTwo Completes First Glide in Powered Flight Configuration

SpaceShipTwo undertook its 23rd glide flight Dec. 19 in the pre-powered portion of its incremental test flight program.

This was a significant test flight as it was the first with rocket motor components installed, including tanks. It was also the first test flight with thermal protection applied to the spaceship’s leading edges. It followed an equally successful test flight last Friday which saw SpaceShipTwo fly in this configuration, but remain mated to its WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft.

All objectives of both flights were successfully met.

SpaceShipTwo is expected to undertake a minimum of two more glide flights in order to complete all remaining preparation for its first powered flight.

posted 04-12-2013 04:56 PM               

SpaceShipTwo Advances Towards Powered Flight with Spectacular "Cold-Flow" Test

History continues to be made in the skies above the Mojave Desert. Hot on the heels of last week's nitrous venting and feather test, SpaceShipTwo achieved another successful first today with a spectacular "Cold Flow" flight.

The test objectives were successfully met, advancing another important step towards powered flight.

In preparation for SpaceShipTwo's first powered flight, the test teams from Scaled Composites and Virgin Galactic completed the profile of the upcoming milestone flight — apart from actually igniting the rocket. Importantly, and for the first time in the air, oxidizer was flowed through the propulsion system and out through the nozzle at the rear of the vehicle — thus successfully accomplishing the "Cold-Flow" procedure.

As well as providing further qualifying evidence that the rocket system is flight ready, the test also provided a stunning spectacle due to the oxidizer contrail and for the first time gave a taste of what SpaceShipTwo will look like as it powers to space.

The upcoming first powered flight of SpaceshipTwo is in many ways the most significant milestone to date, being the first time that the spaceship has flown with all systems installed and fully operational. It's an incredibly exciting stage of the program.

posted 04-23-2013 07:19 PM               

We're hoping to break the sound barrier. That's planned Monday [April 29]. It will be a historic day. This is going to be Virgin Galactic's year. We'll break the sound barrier Monday and from there, we build up through the rest of the year, finally going into space near the end of the year. I'll be on the first official flight, which we look to have in the first quarter of next year. We're doing a number of test flights into space first.