Space Ship II, White Knight II - projects, flights, info

NMaude said:
I'd like to know why is it taking forever for SpaceshipTwo to complete its FAA mandated test-flights?
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Given that they've killed people in the past, and had potential safety of flight issues on their only actual passenger flight (plus major reconstruction of the vehicle since then) I can hardly fault them for being cautious.

In any case, they say 2Q 2023 for return to commercial flights, and hopefully a monthly flight cadence not long after that.

spacenews.com

Virgin Galactic in final phases of return to flight

Virgin Galactic is in the final phases of returning its suborbital spaceplane to commercial service as it ramps up development of a next-generation vehicle.
spacenews.com spacenews.com
 
https://twitter.com/x/status/1673686321888628736
View: https://twitter.com/virgingalactic/status/1673686321888628736


We're 2 days away from the take-off of #Galactic01, our first scientific research mission! ‍

Join us on the livestream on June 29 at 9:00 am MDT | 11:00 am EDT, where you will have a front row seat to watch how the crew from the @ItalianAirForce & @CNRsocial will conduct their research experiments aboard VSS Unity.

Sign up for spaceflight and livestream updates: virgingalactic.com
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I liked the professionalism: strap off and jump to the task.
Great flight, great crew, great landing.
 
https://twitter.com/x/status/1674700950068445184
View: https://twitter.com/stuck4ger/status/1674700950068445184


I’ve received a few questions & comments about the apparently bumpy ride of SS2 during reentry. During subsonic feathered descent it feels similar to bobbing along in a boat in mild rapids — which appears pretty similar to the ride in a capsule when under drogue chutes. 1/2
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https://twitter.com/x/status/1674700952069185537
View: https://twitter.com/stuck4ger/status/1674700952069185537


2/2 One cool thing about SS2 is normal supersonic roll control uses differential horizontal stabilizers which will cause a yaw when feathered in the atmosphere and thus you can point the nose where you want SS2 to track. It’s not a pure vertical descent.
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The crew for the second commercial flight next month has just been announced.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1680895930961371136
View: https://twitter.com/virgingalactic/status/1680895930961371136


Who will crew #Galactic02 on August 10? Meet our first private astronauts who will also become the first Olympian and first Caribbean astronauts in space:

Jon Goodwin | Astronaut 011 |
Keisha Schahaff | Astronaut 012 |
Anastatia Mayers | Astronaut 013 |

Follow their journeys and sign up for livestream updates →
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Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic is launching a new space age, where all are invited along for the ride.
www.virgingalactic.com

Edit to add:

MEET THE CREW

JON GOODWIN

Virgin Galactic Astronaut 011 and First Olympian to travel to space

An 80-year old adventurer and first Olympian to travel to space (Jon competed in the 1972 Munich games).

Diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2014, Jon will be only the second person to travel to space with the condition.

KEISHA SCHAHAFF

Virgin Galactic Astronaut 012 and First Astronaut from the Caribbean Islands

A 46-yeor-old mother of two daughters, entrepreneur and health and wellness couch from Antigua and Barbuda.

Beneficiary of two spaceflight seats in an historic draw which raised $1.7m in grants for non-profit Space for Humanity

Passionate about empowering women to live
their best lives.

ANASTATIA MAYERS

Virgin Galactic Astronaut 013 and
Second Youngest Person to Travel to Space

An I8-year-old university student who was born and raised in Antigua and Barbuda.

Student at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland in her second year studying Philosophy and Physics.

Together with Keisha, the two will become the first mother and daughter to travel to space together.


BETH MOSES

Virgin Galactic Astronaut 002 and Chief Astronaut Instructor

Lead astronaut instructor carrying out all training and preparation for 'Galactic 02';
Beth will fly with the crew to assess the inflight experience while continuing to refine Virgin Galactic's training program.

Beth was the first woman to fly to space aboard commercial space vehicle, earning her FAA commercial astronaut wings in 2019.

'Galactic 02' marks Beth's fourth flight to space with Virgin Galactic.
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https://twitter.com/x/status/1675871965473546240
View: https://twitter.com/stuck4ger/status/1675871965473546240


A very insidious cycle. More thrust = more propellants. Where? New tanks or CTN means a new qual program. Very hard to get one or two custom tanks. More weight? Oops, beefier brakes & landing gear. Wing now needs reinforcements. Now even heavier — needs even more thrust! 1/3
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Heavier spaceship just ate into mothership’s gross weight and launch fuel limits… In my opinion it’s better to pay $$ for better ground test and analysis to better define margins so you can decrease weight. Aggressively fight the urge to add structural weight for “what ifs”. 2/3
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https://twitter.com/x/status/1675871970959798272
View: https://twitter.com/stuck4ger/status/1675871970959798272


Instead, close the risks that are unrealistic and properly mitigate those that are real. As an example, don’t make it strong enough to handle a wrench in a linkage - make it impossible for a wrench to be in the linkage. (Not an easy task, I know, but worth fighting for). 3/3
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https://twitter.com/x/status/1686483696545591298
View: https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1686483696545591298


$SPCE CEO Michael Colglazier: Will livestream Galactic 02
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Colglazier: 4 year backlog of ticketed customers is a "little longer" than we'd like, see 2-3 years worth as more fitting. Going to let excitement build before reopening ticket sales, closer to Delta coming online.
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https://twitter.com/x/status/1686489605543964672
View: https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1686489605543964672


Colglazier on VSS Imagine: "Kept it as an option for us and it's going to remain as an option for us."

"Put it off to the side" to move engineers needed to focus on Delta development.
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Colglazier: Wind tunnel testing Delta class design this month.
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https://twitter.com/x/status/1686490969229692928
View: https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1686490969229692928


Colglazier: Did not see an increase in customer cancellations after the Titan submersible tragedy.
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I was wondering when Dr Stern was going to fly, and now we have the answer.

‘GALACTIC 05’ RESEARCH MISSION SET TO BECOME VIRGIN GALACTIC’S SIXTH FLIGHT IN SIX MONTHS

OCTOBER, 18, 2023

Flight Window Opens November 2, 2023

Scientist Dr. Alan Stern and Researcher Kellie Gerardi Plan To Conduct Five Scientific Research Experiments
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‘Galactic 05’ Research Mission Set to Become Virgin Galactic’s Sixth Flight in Six Months

Flight Window Opens November 2, 2023 Scientist Dr. Alan Stern and Researcher Kellie Gerardi Plan To Conduct Five Scientific Research Experiments Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SPCE) today announced the ‘ Galactic 05’ flight window will open November 2, 2023. This would be the Company’s...
investors.virgingalactic.com investors.virgingalactic.com

[…] The ‘Galactic 06’ mission is expected to take place in January 2024 to allow time for routine, planned annual vehicle inspections before re-commencing with standard pre-flight readiness procedures. The ‘Galactic 06’ mission will be planned to carry four private astronauts to space.
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‘Galactic 05’ Research Mission Set to Become Virgin Galactic’s Sixth Flight in Six Months

Flight Window Opens November 2, 2023 Scientist Dr. Alan Stern and Researcher Kellie Gerardi Plan To Conduct Five Scientific Research Experiments Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SPCE) today announced the ‘ Galactic 05’ flight window will open November 2, 2023. This would be the Company’s...
investors.virgingalactic.com investors.virgingalactic.com
 
After a flurry of flights things will soon be on a go slow again.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1722378334141603901
View: https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1722378334141603901


Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier says they will be moving to a quarterly cadence of VSS Unity flights starting in January, and pausing flights entirely in mid-2024 to focus on Delta-class spaceplane development. So, only a couple more flights left for Unity.
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This is in spite of them having hundreds of paid customers in their backlog. Suggests Unity can’t handle too many flights.

Also the Delta ships don’t come on-line until 2026, so about a 2 year gap.
 
So what will happen to Virgin Galactic and all those budding astronauts that signed up when they first announced the flights? Would Virgin Galactic go under like what happened to Virgin Orbit? That would be bad news indeed if that were to happen.
 
It seems Virgin should consider orbital-type missions like Space X, in my opinion, the suborbital tourist flights are probably going to peter-out. Blue Origin and Virgin are lagging behind Space X. NASA can't get their heads out their asteroids, Space X is doing things cheaper and quicker than NASA. Don't get me wrong, NASA pioneered space, the moon, the Shuttle, Hubble and JWST but as a USG agency, too much red tape, NIH syndrome and way too much money.
 
That would be possible Hydroman, and even better than what VG are currently doing. Going twice round the Earth at higher altitude would be much more fun instead of a few minutes of weightlessness that they are doing just now.
 
Hydroman said:
It seems Virgin should consider orbital-type missions like Space X, in my opinion, the suborbital tourist flights are probably going to peter-out. Blue Origin and Virgin are lagging behind Space X. NASA can't get their heads out their asteroids, Space X is doing things cheaper and quicker than NASA. Don't get me wrong, NASA pioneered space, the moon, the Shuttle, Hubble and JWST but as a USG agency, too much red tape, NIH syndrome and way too much money.
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What makes you think they will be any better?

NASA funds many SpaceX launches.
 
Byeman said:
What makes you think they will be any better?

NASA funds many SpaceX launches.
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Well, you don't know until VG decides to pursue something similar to Space X/NASA. Yes, NASA funds many Space X "LAUNCHES", great, I'm talking about NASA getting systems and missions done with more efficiency. Remember, NASA really beat up Space X in the beginning stating we're NASA, we are the only ones who can do space right.
 

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