Virgin Galactic Pulls Off Major Test Flight (May 1, 2013)

[ChrisReid]

Here's some fantastic shots of Monday's first supersonic rocket-powered flight of the Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo craft. They look straight out of something science fiction, but these are actual photographs! The SS2 hit Mach 1.2 at approximately 55,000 feet in these test flight, and the plan is to execute an actual space flight by the end of the year. Good Luck!

MOJAVE, Calif. ? Today, Virgin Galactic, the world?s first commercial spaceline owned by Sir Richard Branson?s Virgin Group and Abu Dhabi?s aabar Investments PJS, completed the first rocket-powered flight of its space vehicle, SpaceShipTwo (SS2). The test, conducted by teams from Scaled Composites (Scaled) and Virgin Galactic, officially marks Virgin Galactic?s entrance into the final phase of vehicle testing prior to commercial service from Spaceport America in New Mexico.

?The first powered flight of Virgin Spaceship Enterprise was without any doubt, our single most important flight test to date,? said Virgin Galactic Founder Sir Richard Branson, who was on the ground in Mojave to witness the occasion. ?For the first time, we were able to prove the key components of the system, fully integrated and in flight. Today?s supersonic success opens the way for a rapid expansion of the spaceship?s powered flight envelope, with a very realistic goal of full space flight by the year?s end. We saw history in the making today and I couldn?t be more proud of everyone involved.?

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Original update published on May 1, 2013

 

[Whistler]

Got money to burn? Feel lucky? Virgin Galactic is pre-booking for space flights right now!

http://www.virgingalactic.com/booking/

$200,000 for a first seat or $20,000 to go on the waiting list. Got the big bucks? For a cool million you can charter your own spaceflight for you and up to 5 friends.

 

[ChrisReid]

It sounds like they have nearly 600 signups already!