WhiteKnightTwo press release; photos, video

Rob Coppinger has posted several items about the WhiteKnightTwo including this press release from Virgin Galactic here: Test Flying Programme For Virgin Galactic Space Launch System Now Fully Underway - Mothership Eve Achieves Fastest And Longest Yet Flight In The Troposphere: WhiteKnightTwo launch vehicle for SpaceShipTwo heralds a new era in aerospace fuel efficiency, performance and versatility - Hyperbola

The test flying programme for WhiteKnightTwo (WK2), the space launch vehicle being developed for Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo (SS2) has now completed its third successful test flight - the longest and fastest to date with a duration of over two and half hours, maximum speed of 140 knots and an altitude of over 18,000 ft. The flight also saw a further 7 tests successfully completed including in flight engine restarts, engine thrust asymmetry assessment and continued expansion of WK2's operating envelope and evaluation of WK2's handling qualities.

A photo from the flight here - New official Virgin Galactic WhiteKnight Two in-flight images - Hyperbola - and in Flight Global's WK2 and SS2 gallery.

The video below is about the WK2 and the testing program: VIDEO: Virgin Galactic releases flight test footage - Flightglobal.com

Posted 03/27/09 | 07:33:44 by TopSpacer | Filed under: Transport Companies

Comments

sounds like a good test flight,
there is lots of data to study, the next
flight needs to be planned and
the envelope needs to continue expanding.

they flew to 18,000 and 140 knots, there is a
lot more higher speed testing to run, and
a lot higher altitude, but, that's why they
call it flight test and Scaled is competent
and proven in this.

but even after WK2 flies to 45,000 and mach .8
they will still need to repeat this series with
SS2 empty and SS2 Fully loaded.

Posted by anonymous at 03/27/09 10:18:01

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