News Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity Completes First Successful Feather Flight

[Nicholas Kang]

Virgin Galactic:

Long-range tracking shot of VSS Unity in its feathered configuration – Photo: Virgin Galactic, MarsScientific/Trumbull Studios

VSS Unity was piloted today by Mark Stucky and Mike Masucci, with pilots Nicola Pecile and CJ Sturckow as well as flight test engineer Dustin Mosher in WhiteKnightTwo. Today’s test flight was the fourth glide flight (and eight flight overall) of VSS Unity, and the 227th flight of WhiteKnightTwo VMS Eve.

A successful test flight was conducted this morning from the Mojave Air and Space Port, during which we tested VSS Unity’s ‘feather’ re-entry system in flight for the first time.

This test follows after extensive testing of the feather system on the ground.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

Good to see them getting back into the air.

 

[boogabooga]

I think it takes tremendous courage to pilot this and pull the feather mechanism.

 

[Capt_hensley]

Damn thing is made of metal, of course feathers will fail, duh!!!:facepalm:

Just kidding, It's good to see progress again.:thumbup:

 

[MaverickSawyer]

Damn thing is made of metal, of course feathers will fail, duh!!!:facepalm:

Just kidding, It's good to see progress again.:thumbup:

It's not metal. Scaled COMPOSITES, remember?

 

[Capt_hensley]

It's not metal. Scaled COMPOSITES, remember?

Ah yes, graphite composites, but then the joke fails to have any sting.:facepalm:

Again glad to see some progress.