Updates SpaceShipTwo to begin powered flights by end of year!

[Kyle]

Finally! After years of waiting for news, it appears that SpaceShipTwo is finally in the stage of development were they are ready to move onto powered flight. Looks like space may very well be soon for them.

SOURCE OF ARTICLE: http://www.virgingalactic.com/news/

At the same event, Virgin Galactic Founder Sir Richard Branson revealed that the company has now accepted deposits for suborbital flights on SpaceShipTwo from 529 future astronauts, a number greater than the total count of people who have been to space throughout human history. This news comes following a flurry of recent test activity and confirmation that all major components of SpaceShipTwo’s rocket system have been qualified for powered flight, on track to begin before the year’s end.

 

[Grover]

remind me, are they planning to get beyond suborbital flight? or will this still be an hour long scenic flight for the "astronauts"

 

[Kyle]

As far as I know, no, they are not planning to fly orbital manned flights. It will probably be many years before that ever happens. Right now, it will be SpaceX/DC/CST-100 that does it.

 

[MattBaker]

They will probably reach 110 kilometers on a suborbital trajectory (just like Al Shepard or Gus Grissom did in their capsules), the rocket motor can speed them up to 4,200 km/h in 70 seconds of powered flight.

The cost for a passenger is 200,000$, if you pass the centrifuge, so to get the $400 million back they invested in the craft they would have to fly 2,000 people into space. With their 6 passenger capacity that would be over 300 flights, so it's questionable if they make money with it or do it for the sake of doing it.

 

[Urwumpe]

They will probably reach 110 kilometers on a suborbital trajectory (just like Al Shepard or Gus Grissom did in their capsules), the rocket motor can speed them up to 4,200 km/h in 70 seconds of powered flight.

The cost for a passenger is 200,000$, if you pass the centrifuge, so to get the $400 million back they invested in the craft they would have to fly 2,000 people into space. With their 6 passenger capacity that would be over 300 flights, so it's questionable if they make money with it or do it for the sake of doing it.

well... if you include running costs and multiple aircraft, it could even be cheaper over time. But it is doubtful the initial flights will be for profit, rather for getting the technology solid before rivals appear.

 

[jangofett287]

could someone please tell me why they went to the expense of painting the heat shield?

 

[george7378]

Advertising! Also, it doesn't have to stand up to the same sort of temperatures as, say, the Shuttle's shield, so it's easier to maintain a paint job on it!

Also, I'd book my seat in an instant.

 

[Kyle]

Doug Messier
The rumor mill in Mojave has it that we will be seeing the first powered test flight of Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo by the end of this month. One specific date that has been rumored is April 22, which would have marked the 69th birthday of the late businessman and adventurer Steve Fossett. [...]

This news comes via NASAspaceflight.com. Makes sense given the recent drop test they've successfully completed. I doubt though it will be a "space shot."

 

[PhantomCruiser]

could someone please tell me why they went to the expense of painting the heat shield?

It's not a heat shield. I've got a sheet somewhere that gives the temperatures the SS1 endured on it's way back down. I think it's buried on another hard drive, if I can find it I will be sure to post it.

But it's nowhere near as hot a ballistic re-entry like Shepard and Grissom did . Basically straight up and straight down. If you watch the video from the SS1 flights, the ground crew stood out on the ramp and watched the whole flight.

 

[Eccentrus]

and one more thing, Virgin is in for this venture not for the "space" thingie, it's the possibility of having that London-Sydney flight in two hours thing, which is also why they going orbital is highly unlikely, they are going to rather optimize high-speed suborbital flights which is much more economical for them to do.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

SpaceShip2 has begun "Cold-flow" engine testing as of Friday, April 12th.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

SS2 trying to steal Orbital's thunder!? :shifty:

 

[Kyle]

There's no thunder to steal today, let's see what VG has in mind.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Well it missed the Antares launch, the Grasshopper launch, and the rumored April 22 date, but Richard Branson confirmed that the first powered flight will be on April 29, and will break the sound barrier! :woohoo::hotcool:

[Question] That’s your Virgin Galactic project. What’s ahead for that?

[Branson's Answer:] We’re hoping to break the sound barrier. That’s planned Monday. 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.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/apr/23/virgin-atlantics-los-angeles--las-vegas-flight-isn/#ixzz2RKtsmSvU

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

And now..... WK2 and SS2 on runway 30 at Mojave preparing for flight! :banana:

Anyone interested in making a WK2 + SS2 add-on? :idea:

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

And wheels up for WK2!

Live video from local TV station: http://www.turnto23.com/video/live_video

 

[Kyle]

Don't see anything but mountains on the live feed??

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Don't see anything but mountains on the live feed??

Yeah, they went off air just after I posted. h:

Meanwhile from Peter Diamandis of X-Prize fame:

PeterDiamandis ‏@PeterDiamandis
In Mojave with Branson, Burt Rutan and George Whitesides for first powered flight of SpaceShipTwo. Vehicle tookoff at 7am. 1hr to ignition.

So ignition at roughly the top of the hour.

 

[Kyle]

If he just posted that - means ignition at ~8:30L

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

If he just posted that - means ignition at ~8:30L

Much too late!

Posted just a minute ago:

PeterDiamandis ‏@PeterDiamandis
Here with Virgin Galactic team watching. Follow their live feed @VirginGalactic. Ignition is T-6 min or so