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Virgin Galactic Sends a Rocket Plane Into Space for a Second Time Virgin Galactic Sends a Rocket Plane Into Space for a Second Time
(32 minutes later)
For the second time in three months, Virgin Galactic on Friday sent a small vessel from the Mojave Desert all the way up to the edge of space. After its first spaceflight in December, Virgin Galactic sent the same vessel past the edge of the atmosphere for a second time on Friday. This time, the rocket plane went higher and faster than before — and it had three crew members on board instead of two.
It was the company’s fifth supersonic-powered test flight, and it marked another step forward in a new kind of space race — one that aims to allow private citizens (who can afford the ticket) an opportunity to exit our atmosphere. The flight marked another step forward in a new kind of space race — one that aims to allow private citizens (who can afford the ticket) an opportunity to exit our atmosphere.
The SpaceShipTwo craft, a suborbital, rocket-fueled space plane called the VSS Unity, lifted off from its runway on Friday morning, shortly after 8 a.m. local time. It was carried aloft under a larger carrier plane for nearly an hour and then released. Next, its rocket ignited to propel the vessel, and its three crew members, up to where the sky turned black. It was the company’s fifth supersonic-powered test flight, and it reached an altitude of nearly 56 miles before returning safely to the Mojave Desert runway in California where it took off. Beth Moses, an astronaut trainer and microgravity research expert, was in the cabin as the company’s first test passenger in space.
The SpaceShipTwo craft, a suborbital, rocket-fueled space plane called the VSS Unity, lifted off shortly after 8 a.m. local time. It was carried aloft under a larger carrier plane for nearly an hour and then released. Next, its rocket ignited to propel the vessel, and its three crew members, up to where the sky turned black.
Unity reached Mach 3 — three times the speed of sound — before the rocket motor was switched off shortly before 9 a.m. Then the vessel coasted to its highest altitude of 55.87 miles above sea level. Two tail booms rotated into a “feathered” position to create drag, allowing the vessel to fall gently back into the atmosphere and, ultimately, glide toward the runway.Unity reached Mach 3 — three times the speed of sound — before the rocket motor was switched off shortly before 9 a.m. Then the vessel coasted to its highest altitude of 55.87 miles above sea level. Two tail booms rotated into a “feathered” position to create drag, allowing the vessel to fall gently back into the atmosphere and, ultimately, glide toward the runway.
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The flight was a success for Richard Branson, the British billionaire who started Virgin Galactic in 2004. (Other billionaires funding private spaceflight projects include Elon Musk, who runs SpaceX, and Jeff Bezos, who is behind Blue Origin.)The flight was a success for Richard Branson, the British billionaire who started Virgin Galactic in 2004. (Other billionaires funding private spaceflight projects include Elon Musk, who runs SpaceX, and Jeff Bezos, who is behind Blue Origin.)
Ventures like these are more useful for testing the limits of tourism than for advancing scientific research, said Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He said the Virgin flights could be used to conduct microgravity tests or equipment checks.Ventures like these are more useful for testing the limits of tourism than for advancing scientific research, said Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He said the Virgin flights could be used to conduct microgravity tests or equipment checks.
“But at this stage, from a scientist’s point of view, it’s equivalent to what we call a sounding rocket,” he said. “And we’ve been doing those since the 1940s.”“But at this stage, from a scientist’s point of view, it’s equivalent to what we call a sounding rocket,” he said. “And we’ve been doing those since the 1940s.”
Sounding rockets are vessels that were sent by NASA to the upper reaches of the atmosphere to collect data and test instruments starting in 1945 — an important precursor to more advanced space travel.Sounding rockets are vessels that were sent by NASA to the upper reaches of the atmosphere to collect data and test instruments starting in 1945 — an important precursor to more advanced space travel.
NASA did participate in Friday’s flight via its Flight Opportunities program, which pays Virgin Galactic for space to conduct research inside the Unity during its trip. Virgin Galactic also used the flight to gather data for future tests, learn more about the craft’s center of gravity and “confirm some of the aspects of the customer cabin,” according to a statement from the company.NASA did participate in Friday’s flight via its Flight Opportunities program, which pays Virgin Galactic for space to conduct research inside the Unity during its trip. Virgin Galactic also used the flight to gather data for future tests, learn more about the craft’s center of gravity and “confirm some of the aspects of the customer cabin,” according to a statement from the company.
And the three people on board — two pilots, David Mackay and Michael Masucci, and an astronaut trainer and microgravity research expert, Beth Moses — got the vantage point of a lifetime. And the three people on board — two pilots, David Mackay and Michael Masucci, and Ms. Moses — got the vantage point of a lifetime.
“For this flight we expect fantastic views from apogee,” Mr. Mackay, Virgin Galactic’s chief pilot, said in a video before the flight, referring to the highest point on the ship’s trajectory. “We’ll have several minutes of weightlessness to enjoy before we come back down.” “It was thrilling yet smooth and nicely controlled throughout with a view at the top, of the Earth from space, which exceeded all our expectations,” Mr. Mackay, Virgin Galactic’s chief pilot, said in a statement after the flight.
The flight was the second time the company had sent pilots into space — depending on how you define space. But there is some room for debate as to whether Virgin Galactic has actually sent people into space. On both of its space trips — the vessel reached an altitude of 51.4 miles last time — the Unity flew higher than the Federal Aviation Administration’s definition of where space begins, but lower than another widely accepted boundary between Earth and space, called the Kármán Line, which is about 62 miles above sea level.
In a December breakthrough, Unity reached an altitude of 51.4 miles. That was just above the Federal Aviation Administration’s definition of where space begins, but lower than another widely accepted boundary between Earth and space, called the Kármán Line, which is about 62 miles above sea level.
In any case, Unity has flown high enough that the pilots saw a black sky above them and a blue-brown Earth below as they crested at the edge of the atmosphere. (Dr. McDowell is skeptical about the Kármán Line and thinks it is fair to say that Unity reached proper space on both of its recent trips.)In any case, Unity has flown high enough that the pilots saw a black sky above them and a blue-brown Earth below as they crested at the edge of the atmosphere. (Dr. McDowell is skeptical about the Kármán Line and thinks it is fair to say that Unity reached proper space on both of its recent trips.)
Unity was the first Virgin Galactic craft to reach space, but it was not the first private spacecraft to get there. Another ship, operated by Mojave Aerospace Ventures, which later licensed its technology to Mr. Branson, soared to an altitude of 69.7 miles about 15 years ago.Unity was the first Virgin Galactic craft to reach space, but it was not the first private spacecraft to get there. Another ship, operated by Mojave Aerospace Ventures, which later licensed its technology to Mr. Branson, soared to an altitude of 69.7 miles about 15 years ago.
At the time, people predicted that it was the dawn of a new age of commercial human spaceflight. But the enthusiasm faded as years passed. Some non-astronauts were flown to the International Space Station, but commercial flights did not come to fruition. Then came a tragic setback: the fatal crash of a previous SpaceShipTwo craft in 2014. One pilot was killed after he released the lock on the booms too early and the vessel fell apart, investigators found.At the time, people predicted that it was the dawn of a new age of commercial human spaceflight. But the enthusiasm faded as years passed. Some non-astronauts were flown to the International Space Station, but commercial flights did not come to fruition. Then came a tragic setback: the fatal crash of a previous SpaceShipTwo craft in 2014. One pilot was killed after he released the lock on the booms too early and the vessel fell apart, investigators found.
Virgin Galactic is expected to keep doing test flights and making improvements in terms of safety, altitude and weight capacity. It is still unclear when private citizens will be allowed to take a ride.Virgin Galactic is expected to keep doing test flights and making improvements in terms of safety, altitude and weight capacity. It is still unclear when private citizens will be allowed to take a ride.
In a statement, Mr. Branson said Ms. Moses’ work would help pave the way for private citizens who are eager to fly.
“Having Beth fly in the cabin today, starting to ensure that our customer journey is as flawless as the spaceship itself, brings a huge sense of anticipation and excitement to all of us here who are looking forward to experiencing space for ourselves,” he said. “The next few months promise to be the most thrilling yet.”