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- Sornos, on 05/02/2009, -0/+28That's pretty much what it does. You can see the clamps in the middle section.
Space Ship Two fits between the two fuselages. When it gets to as high as White Knight Two (the aircraft seen in the video) can carry it, it is released an Space Ship Two's rocket engines ignite and take it to just beyond the edge of space. - xaccie, on 05/02/2009, -0/+27Prime example of "boldly go where no man has gone before".
That is, commercialised space flight. Not just space flight. - Smegzor, on 05/02/2009, -2/+29They're only holding hands. There is absolutely nothing sexual going on between those two planes. They are still virgins.
Honest! - basickly, on 05/02/2009, -0/+26The term "spaceport" is just so awesome to me!
Not that spaceports don't already exist, but when it's used in reference to a publically available spaceport like an airport it's especially cool.
I wish the future would hurry up and get here. :( - novenator, on 05/02/2009, -5/+25Awesome! This is the model of a great company and this plane was a revolutionary design.
- Thoku, on 05/02/2009, -1/+18Did someone just stick two planes together?!
- SecretPact, on 05/02/2009, -2/+17Hell yes. They're also building a spaceport in New Mexico!
- diggnidy, on 05/02/2009, -2/+15yo dawg i heard you like planes
- Stormwern, on 05/02/2009, -4/+16So this thing tows the shuttles into the upper atmosphere, or what is it for?
- amauldin71, on 05/02/2009, -4/+12Looks like it would snap in half when it hits turbulence.
- bmw112208, on 05/02/2009, -1/+9Anyone looking to combine the dangers of cutting edge commercial aircraft prototyping with the dangers of a cutting edge commercial spacecraft prototyping is cool in my book.
- Chairboy, on 05/02/2009, -1/+9Looks can be deceiving. Rutan has been building planes out of composites for decades, longer than just about everyone else. His LongEZ (and related) designs have remarkable handling in turbulence, better than most aluminum aircraft, in fact, because the flexibility in the structure allows the forces generated by gusts and temperature differences to be smoothed out while being transmitted throughout the fuselage.
In this specific case, that center boom is also built to carry the heavy SpaceShipTwo, so strength shouldn't be an issue. - Sornos, on 05/02/2009, -2/+8The aircraft in the video is White Knight 2, it will only carry the pilots. Space Ship Two, which will sit between the two fuselages, can carry eight people (two pilots and six passengers). It's a big start for privately owned spaceflight.
- Chakat, on 05/02/2009, -1/+6White Knight Two will hold more than just the pilots. One fuselage is going to also be used for acclimation training, and the other is going to be used for people who just want to go into the upper atmosphere or can't afford a suborbital trip.
- burningmanstan, on 05/02/2009, -1/+6One cockpit is for piloting the plane. the second cockpit is an exact replica of the interior of SpaceShipTwo. That cockpit will be used for passenger and pilot training before they actually go on a space flight. This allows for proper crew training without using a spaceship.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaled_Composites_Whi ... - christoast, on 05/02/2009, -0/+4Virgin Galactic was also the name of a club I was in back in highschool.
- sonofabiscuit, on 05/02/2009, -0/+4Agreed!
By the way, did the cockpits on this thing make anyone think of a "cloud car" from Star Wars?
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/ ... - brim4brim, on 05/02/2009, -1/+4This rocks! Can't wait for more developments on this. This commercial space program will make space more interesting for the masses again and hopefully help get more funding for the space research agencies.
- 2Deluxe, on 05/02/2009, -1/+4HURR DURR VIRGIN ROFLCOPTER
- rhinopig, on 05/02/2009, -0/+3Virgin Galactic? Sounds like my Scifi club meetings!
Happy? (I just died a little inside.)
EDIT: Also... something something ... boldly go where no man has gone before ... something something. - Bombfrog, on 05/02/2009, -1/+4Wow! A beautiful, historic moment.
- dawnofdigital, on 05/02/2009, -0/+3I'm glad that we're finally seeing astronautical research and devlopment in the private sector. If we're ever going to get normal people into space it will be through private companies, not through the NASA. NASA and the rest of the government are full of too much politics to get anything done on a respectable timeframe.
- cubuffs155, on 05/02/2009, -1/+4I work in the aviation industry and have worked with Mr. Rutan on several projects and, in my opinion, he's a grade A ***** who is mostly after personal glory that creating a "great" company.
The plane is a revolutionary design but one that will be very difficult to certify to FAA regulations. I do wish them good luck, but they have a long road ahead. - dafragsta, on 05/07/2009, -0/+2You didn't put a plane in my plane did you?
- jlan, on 05/02/2009, -1/+3Good thing you qualified that because I was about to nail you on it!
- novenator, on 05/02/2009, -0/+2hell yes!
- Rothgarr, on 05/02/2009, -0/+2Whoh, look at all the windmills in the background at 00:26
- cartisdm, on 05/02/2009, -0/+2just you
- rdoger6424, on 05/02/2009, -0/+2Every time Richard Branson gets laid, he spins off a new division of the virgin group.
- cubuffs155, on 05/03/2009, -0/+2I have a few friends at Scaled and according to the pictures and what not i've seen of the actual aircraft construction it is no where near ready to be subject to the scrutiny of the FAA regulations. There is an "experimental" designation i'm guessing the plane will fly with. Experimental certificates are usually given to people who build their own planes or aircraft that are truly experimental and part of a longer flight test process to certify a final product that may be drastically different from the original design (to eventually conform with the regulations). This means that every person who boards it will have to sign a waiver saying they understand that this plane has not been approved by the FAA, i.e. it is not yet deemed safe for the national airspace. So, when i say they have a long road ahead, they definitely do if it involves certification.
- aceslick911, on 05/02/2009, -1/+3is it just me or is the video not working?
- matude, on 05/02/2009, -0/+1ha-ha *points finger*
- Chairboy, on 05/02/2009, -0/+1Don't worry, they're not going to space.
- UnitedOceanic, on 05/02/2009, -0/+1its only the carrier for the space ship, this plane is the white knight 2, it will fly to about 14k feet altitude and then release the space ship 2. check youtube for footage from the flights of the spaceship one its really amazing!
- jgubbe, on 05/03/2009, -0/+1Please read first paragraph of the article to find the answers you seek.
- directedition, on 05/02/2009, -1/+2you hold hands with your siblings?
- Daxx22, on 05/02/2009, -0/+1Hey, you said it yourself, you don't know anything about aircraft design!
- Laminarcissus, on 05/02/2009, -0/+1Gosh, I'd really like to see you debate aerospace design with Burt Rutan!
Actually, it would be quicker to just cut to the end and see you crying like a baby. - novenator, on 05/02/2009, -0/+1I did not know this. Please elaborate.
- jgubbe, on 05/03/2009, -0/+1Even Billionaires, Scientists, Pilots and Astronauts celebrated it.
- xaccie, on 05/02/2009, -0/+1I knew that 'cuz that's just the kinda guy you are.
- Niedar, on 05/02/2009, -0/+1Well its more like 70k feet then 12k.
- fragsta, on 05/02/2009, -3/+3There's no such thing as "exclusive" on the Internet.
Anyway cool video! - Po0py, on 05/02/2009, -1/+1Looks kinda small for a spaceship.
- jgubbe, on 05/03/2009, -1/+1Flight 4, conducted on 20 April was very successful, with gear retraction, cg envelope expansion, and systems evaluations.
I love 420! - Laminarcissus, on 05/02/2009, -1/+1Maybe you're missing an enthusiasm for aerospace?
- inactive, on 05/02/2009, -1/+1...In a way, they're like siblings...
- fabkebab, on 05/02/2009, -1/+1Seems like there would be an inherent mechanical weakness in the central "bridge" wing between the two fuselages - I hope it all works out ok!
On a lighter note, is there a pilot in each side? who steers? - inactive, on 05/02/2009, -7/+7the title's a little misleading. this was a test flight of the "lifter" Eve, which was pretty ***** boring.
show me some footage of it carrying the actual vehicle for near-space travel and I'll be happier.
lame. -
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