{"id":17873,"date":"2019-02-19T20:52:07","date_gmt":"2019-02-20T01:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=17873"},"modified":"2019-02-20T10:02:39","modified_gmt":"2019-02-20T15:02:39","slug":"video-piloting-the-virgin-galactic-spaceshiptwo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=17873","title":{"rendered":"Video: Piloting the Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[ <strong>Update Feb.20<\/strong>: The test flight has been postponed due to weather issues:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Our test flight window opened this morning, but the Mojave weather isn\u2019t cooperating. We plan to try again in the next few days. We\u2019ll keep you posted.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/virgingalactic\/status\/1098225665873108992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 20, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Friday is likely the next target.<\/p>\n<p>]<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.virgingalactic.com\">Virgin Galactic<\/a> plans to send the SpaceShipTwo &#8220;VSS Unity&#8221; once again to the border of space on Wednesday morning in Mojave, California (see <a href=\"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=17864\">earlier posting<\/a>). No target time posted yet for takeoff of the WhiteKnightTwo with the SS2 hung beneath. Winds could always lead to delays. Once the duo takes off, it takes about 45 minutes to reach the altitude for the drop of the SS2. Check updates at <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/virgingalactic\">Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) | Twitter<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This new video released on Tuesday focuses on the pilots:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bEAeU-B2rA4?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Here are tweets about the two pilots, Dave Mackay and Mike &#8216;Sooch&#8217; Masucci:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Get to know <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/virgingalactic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@VirginGalactic<\/a> Chief Pilot, Dave Mackay. He has over forty years&#8217; experience as a pilot, flying more than 140 types of aircraft. He has flown everything from Harrier jump jets, to Boeing 747&#8217;s and SpaceShipTwo. He&#8217;ll be in the cockpit for our next test flight. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/HvYoOiXyz6\">pic.twitter.com\/HvYoOiXyz6<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/virgingalactic\/status\/1097978990298427392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 19, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Co-piloting SpaceShipTwo for our fifth supersonic powered test flight will be Mike &#8216;Sooch&#8217; Masucci. He&#8217;s flown over 80 different types of aircraft and accumulated more than 10,000 hours in the air as a pilot. Our test flight window opens tomorrow morning. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/pn94WNvUsa\">pic.twitter.com\/pn94WNvUsa<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/virgingalactic\/status\/1098018040434683904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 20, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s a photo of the mating of the SS2\u00a0 to the WhiteKnightTwo on Sunday:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/virgingalactic\/status\/1097933179363614720\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"17875\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?attachment_id=17875\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/WK2-SS2-Feb17-2019.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2048,1536\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"WK2-SS2-Feb17-2019\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/WK2-SS2-Feb17-2019-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-17875 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/WK2-SS2-Feb17-2019-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"520\" height=\"390\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/WK2-SS2-Feb17-2019-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/WK2-SS2-Feb17-2019-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/WK2-SS2-Feb17-2019-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/WK2-SS2-Feb17-2019.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">====<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/1984819194\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1984819194&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=hobbyspace&amp;linkId=142792e667be98282615ab82071b8a14\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Brief Answers to the Big Questions &#8211; Stephen Hawking<\/em><\/a><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;\" src=\"\/\/ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/ir?t=hobbyspace&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1984819194\" alt=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe style=\"width: 120px; height: 240px;\" src=\"\/\/ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;OneJS=1&amp;Operation=GetAdHtml&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;source=ac&amp;ref=tf_til&amp;ad_type=product_link&amp;tracking_id=hobbyspace&amp;marketplace=amazon&amp;region=US&amp;placement=1984819194&amp;asins=1984819194&amp;linkId=48f64e1d2a24b01a529558b553d1d94a&amp;show_border=true&amp;link_opens_in_new_window=true&amp;price_color=333333&amp;title_color=0066c0&amp;bg_color=ffffff\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><span style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><br \/>\n<\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ Update Feb.20: The test flight has been postponed due to weather issues: Our test flight window opened this morning, but the Mojave weather isn\u2019t cooperating. We plan to try again in the next few days. We\u2019ll keep you posted. \u2014 Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) February 20, 2019 Friday is likely the next target. ] Virgin &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=17873\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Video: Piloting the Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5,44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17873","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-rockets","category-spaceflight-parabolic-flight"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p34aWK-4Eh","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":17932,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=17932","url_meta":{"origin":17873,"position":0},"title":"Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo test flight &#8211; Feb.22.2019","author":"TopSpacer","date":"February 22, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"[ Updates: 12:14 pm EST: Max altitude is reportedly 294,000 feet, or 89.6 km, or 55.7 miles. [Update: 295,007 feet, or 89.9 km, or 55.87 miles.] 12:08 pm EST: The SpaceShipTwo VSS Unity is back safely on the ground after a second successful powered flight to the edge of space.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Rockets&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Rockets","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=5"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/WK2-SS2-Feb22-2019-1024x683.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":17291,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=17291","url_meta":{"origin":17873,"position":1},"title":"Virgin Galactic&#8217;s SpaceShipTwo rocket vehicle makes its first suborbital space flight [Update]","author":"TopSpacer","date":"December 13, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"[ Update: Here is a video released by Virgin Galactic with highlights of the flight: https:\/\/youtu.be\/bRQUwjoETSE ] This morning two pilots for Virgin Galactic successfully flew SpaceShipTwo \"Unity\" to over 50 miles (82 km) in altitude. SpaceShipTwo reached: 51.4m 271,268ft 82.7km \u2014 Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) December 13, 2018 SpaceShipTwo's rocket\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Rockets&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Rockets","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=5"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/bRQUwjoETSE\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2029,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=2029","url_meta":{"origin":17873,"position":2},"title":"Galactic Unite lesson plans based on Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo test flights","author":"TopSpacer","date":"April 30, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday. Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo (SS2)vehicle made its first rocket powered test flight. VG has created an education program called Galactic Unite with STEM lesson plans based around the SS2 test flights: Galactic Unite Lesson Plans are now live! - Virgin Galactic Galactic Unite Lesson Plans are now live! Virgin Galactic\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Education&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Education","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/HLDmcjeDohc\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":17954,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=17954","url_meta":{"origin":17873,"position":3},"title":"Virgin Galactic sets new milestones on second flight to edge of space in 10 weeks","author":"TopSpacer","date":"February 22, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Here is a press release from Virgin Galactic about today's SpaceShipTwo flight to space: Virgin Galactic Makes Space for Second Time in Ten Weeks with Three On Board, Reaching Higher Altitudes and Faster Speeds, as Flight Test Program Continues Flight Follows December\u2019s Fourth Rocket-Powered Flight and First Space Flight Mojave,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Rockets&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Rockets","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=5"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Second_Spaceflight_Rocket_Motor_Burn-1024x538.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14311,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=14311","url_meta":{"origin":17873,"position":4},"title":"Videos: SpaceX Falcon 9 launch and landing + Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo test","author":"TopSpacer","date":"May 2, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched a spysat for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) from Kennedy Space Center. The first stage returned for a successful landing at the Cape. Here are some photos and videos of the launch and booster return. Close-up of rocket stage separation, fast flip, boostback\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Rockets&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Rockets","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=5"},"img":{"alt_text":"NROL-76 Mission","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/c1.staticflickr.com\/5\/4166\/34006001860_2bfb026f9f.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":20030,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=20030","url_meta":{"origin":17873,"position":5},"title":"Space tourism roundup \u2013 Oct.24.2019","author":"TopSpacer","date":"October 24, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"A sampling of recent articles, videos, and images related to commercial human space travel (see also previous space tourism related posts): ** Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic move agonizingly slowly towards operational flights. After successful tests early this year (SpaceShipTwo in\u00a0 February and New Shepard in May ), there seemed\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Spaceflight &amp; Parabolic Flight&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Spaceflight &amp; Parabolic Flight","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=44"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/blueorigin_newshepard_ns11_boosterlanding21-500x281.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17873","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17873"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17873\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17879,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17873\/revisions\/17879"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17873"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17873"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17873"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}