posted 04-30-2013 09:06 AM
A big day for VG and Scaled for sure! The vehicle looked steady as a rock as it climbed away, at least from the ground based footage. That boom camera video would probably give a better idea of how steady once they release the footage. I still remember how squirrely SS1 looked from that perspective.
The motor looked like it gave a little "belch" before it actually lit off. I wonder if that was normal or an anomaly...will have to probably wait to see the next test flight.
Gotta hand to Branson, always the salesman. He chose this milestone first powered flight to announce a price hike for a trip to the edge of space. Book yours now for the low low price of just $250,000. Ouch.
I guess 8 long years of developmental work cost a lot more than anyone planned for, and they need to recoup that money. It has also been suggested that this is an attempt to get some who have submitted minimal down payments to get off the fence and commit before the "imminent price increase."
328KF Member
Posts: 1234 From: Registered: Apr 2008
posted 04-30-2013 09:17 AM
Ah, here's the onboard video from Virgin Galactic. Looks very steady!
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-30-2013 09:29 AM
quote:Originally posted by 328KF: He chose this milestone first powered flight to announce a price hike...
Virgin Galactic has been saying the price would rise before the first space shot for some time now. The $50,000 increase should really be of no surprise for potential customers.
328KF Member
Posts: 1234 From: Registered: Apr 2008
posted 04-30-2013 10:24 AM
There may have been occasional hints, but this is the first time I have seen the additional $50K figure put out publicly.
It could backfire on Branson... a short time price hike to join the "suborbital spaceflight club" may well cause people to hold off and wait for the already hinted at price decrease down the road.
Competition from XCOR's Lynx spaceplane and others will be good for the consumer.
dabolton Member
Posts: 419 From: Seneca, IL, US Registered: Jan 2009
posted 04-30-2013 01:10 PM
Any collectSPACE users put down their deposit yet? I would love to but I have spinal issues that I think would prevent me.
dabolton Member
Posts: 419 From: Seneca, IL, US Registered: Jan 2009
posted 06-07-2013 11:17 AM
In regards to the recent announcement of Justin Bieber purchasing his VG seat, with all of his ongoing legal issues and public use of drugs/drinking under age, it seems like a mistake to let him fly.
This could backfire on VG and put them in a bad public light if he does something stupid and embarrasses the decision to let him go.
328KF Member
Posts: 1234 From: Registered: Apr 2008
posted 06-07-2013 02:39 PM
I think this is just one of the many challenges that VG faces as they begin flight operations. Unfortunately, given the extraordinary price of a seat right now, many of those able to afford to go will be celebrities of various types.
VG is a business, and are looking to recoup a ton of development money and someday make a profit. I don't think they are in a position of being able to decide who should go and who shouldn't. Having said that, if a high-profile customer were to do something embarrassing or dangerous while in preparation for the flight, I think it would be VG's responsibility to remove them or delay their trip until the matter is corrected.
I'm sure in a few years this will all be regulated by the FAA, but for now they are taking a hands off approach in order to let the industry get started without too much red tape.
The celebrity aspect of their business might be great in terms of bringing space tourism into the realm of reality in many people's minds, but I do hope that Mr. Branson has plan to deal with those who aren't able to behave themselves.
328KF Member
Posts: 1234 From: Registered: Apr 2008
posted 06-12-2013 12:33 PM
Here's a new promo video from Virgin Galactic:
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 06-17-2013 05:30 PM
Richard Branson announced today that Virgin Galactic has booked its 600th passenger.
We're delighted to welcome Virgin Galactic's 600th future astronaut, Marsha Waters. I had the pleasure of meeting Marsha at The B Team launch in London last week and can't wait for her to experience space travel for herself.
Marsha, who owns an accounting company in Blackpool, told me she has been watching our progress closely for the past few years, and was inspired to join our space program after watching Virgin Galactic's first supersonic test flight recently.
She joins the next generation of women in space as we celebrate milestones for two of the most famous female astronauts. 50 years ago yesterday Valentina Tereshkova earned the title of first woman to have flown in space. 30 years ago tomorrow, Sally Ride became the first American woman to enter space.
Now a whole new generation of private individuals who are passionate about experiencing space travel for themselves will be joining them in the record books - including Marsha.
Lou Chinal Member
Posts: 1306 From: Staten Island, NY Registered: Jun 2007
posted 09-09-2013 05:30 PM
Watching videos of the second powered test flight of SpaceShipTwo, suddenly it was 1967 again and I was watching the X-15.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 02-11-2014 09:42 AM
NBC News, which has an exclusive with Virgin Galactic to provide behind-the-scenes coverage of the first SpaceShipTwo spaceflight, has debuted an interactive web graphic tracing the commercial passenger craft's flight plan.
gliderpilotuk Member
Posts: 3398 From: London, UK Registered: Feb 2002
posted 02-13-2014 05:51 AM
It's five years since there was talk of SS2 commercial flights taking place "within two years." "Some time in 2014" is the latest Virgin mantra. A recent book on Branson believes that the project will never succeed due to safety regulations and performance issues.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 09-12-2014 03:34 AM
Virgin Galactic now plans to perform the first commercial flights of its SpaceShipTwo suborbital vehicle early next year, SpaceNews reports, citing a pair of televised interviews with Richard Branson.
"From now until March there will be many test flights," said Sir Richard Branson in an interview on CBS's "The Late Show" Sept. 9. He said he planned to be on the first commercial flight, from Spaceport America in New Mexico, in "February or March of next year."
In a separate interview on NBC's "Today" show Sept. 9, Branson provided a similar schedule. "We're now going through the final testing stages. We'll be doing at least one flight into space before the end of the year," he said. "I'll be going up with my son Sam 'early-ish' in the new year."
...a Virgin Galactic spokewoman said that, despite Branson's comments, the company has no formal schedule for beginning commercial flights. "As we've stated in the past, the inaugural commercial flight date will be set by safety and readiness," Jessica Gilbert said Sept. 11 via email.
E2M Lem Man Member
Posts: 846 From: Los Angeles CA. USA Registered: Jan 2005
posted 09-12-2014 03:55 PM
I have said this for two years now. To get to commercial operations they will have to achieve a record of about 50-100 test flights. The FAA calls for nearly two hundred flights to obtain certification for airliners.
I believe that they will have to achieve a weekly flight rate — once every seven days consistently or before they can carry passengers or consider certification. The field is still wide open, who will be first?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 09-13-2014 12:06 AM
The FAA is not treating commercial suborbital spaceflight as it does passenger air travel, but rather has recognized that any flight into space is an activity that is intrinsically fraught with risk.
As such, the regulations do not include certifying vehicles for spaceflight, and in fact, that must be disclosed to passengers.
An operator must inform each space flight participant that the United States Government has not certified the launch vehicle and any reentry vehicle as safe for carrying crew or space flight participants.
The FAA regulations do however, require verification.
An operator must successfully verify the integrated performance of a vehicle's hardware and any software in an operational flight environment before allowing any space flight participant on board during a flight. Verification must include flight testing.
The FAA states that it will initially determine the amount of verification and, specifically, flight testing of vehicles on a case-by-case basis.
The appropriate level of testing depends on many factors, including the vehicle's mission profile, operational restrictions, test and flight history, component and subsystem heritage, and design and operating margins.
Given all of this, I suspect Virgin Galactic will fly paying passengers well before it approaches 50, let alone 100, spaceflights.
gliderpilotuk Member
Posts: 3398 From: London, UK Registered: Feb 2002
posted 09-25-2014 05:02 AM
Why the only thing Branson has fired into space is his ego: 700 VIPs have paid £50m for tickets into orbit. But six years after the Virgin boss promised blast off, his space ship STILL isn't ready.
This recent article in the Daily Mail (Sept. 19) really lifts the veil on the fantasy vs. reality of Virgin Galactic and the unrealistic targets that enticed 700 people to pay $250k since 2005. Some have asked for refunds; some have died since then.
jasonelam Member
Posts: 691 From: Monticello, KY USA Registered: Mar 2007
posted 09-25-2014 09:18 AM
Just read the Daily Mail article, and it does make a good point. It seems to me the date keeps slipping, but yet again this is about rocketing into space so they have to make sure everything goes right. The good thing is Virgin Galactic is refunding peoples money if they ask.
It does raise my eyebrows that the agreement states they MIGHT get to 100 kilometres, but are guaranteed to 50 miles. If you're paying 250 grand to go into space, getting 80% of the way is not getting your monies worth in my opinion. That would be like ordering a steak and being told you might get the whole thing but you're only guaranteed part of it.
robsouth Member
Posts: 769 From: West Midlands, UK Registered: Jun 2005
posted 09-25-2014 11:09 AM
Reality check for all those that heralded in the commercial sector and space travel.
Since 1961 only large national space efforts have put humans into space. Since then there have been numerous dreamers saying that this and that will happen, but so far nothing has happened.
I remember a documentary around about the time that the shuttle finished flying saying that at least five different organisations were going to have spacecraft in space anytime between 2015 and 2018.
If NASA doesn't start flying people in space again soon, it will be a very dry spell for us in space travel.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 09-25-2014 11:32 AM
quote:Originally posted by robsouth: Since 1961 only large national space efforts have put humans into space.
I think Burt Rutan, Mike Melvill and Brian Binnie might disagree with that statement.
It took 11 years for a paying passenger to fly on an airplane after the Wright brothers' flew their Flyer in 1903. Eleven years after SpaceShipOne will be 2015...
robsouth Member
Posts: 769 From: West Midlands, UK Registered: Jun 2005
posted 09-25-2014 03:03 PM
Those guys all flew aboard the well tried and tested spacecraft of a large national space agency.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 09-25-2014 03:10 PM
Scaled Composites built and tested SpaceShipOne, which was designed by Burt Rutan. NASA, nor any other "large national space agency" was involved.
robsouth Member
Posts: 769 From: West Midlands, UK Registered: Jun 2005
posted 09-25-2014 04:52 PM
Yeah sorry I was thinking of the fare paying passengers aboard Soyuz.
But to honest, Melvill's two short hops aboard 60 miles and Binnie's short hop up to about 69 miles aren't what I would describe as space journeys, more along the lines of high altitude test flights.
A bit like calling dipping your toe in the ocean a deep sea expedition.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 09-25-2014 05:40 PM
That's a bit like dismissing the X-15 flights above 50 miles (or even 62 miles), not to mention Alan Shepard's and Gus Grissom's Mercury flights, for the brevity that they were in space or the altitude they reached.
And this is a discussion about SpaceShipTwo, not far-reaching or long missions into deep space. So if you're limiting your comment to only extended missions, then I am not sure what relevance it has to Virgin Galactic's plans.
robsouth Member
Posts: 769 From: West Midlands, UK Registered: Jun 2005
posted 09-25-2014 06:28 PM
Those flights happened decades ago. I was speaking to one of the astronauts last Saturday about this and he said that he'd hoped we'd be a lot further along by now than just 'touching the boundary of space'.
I guess I'm just a bit miffed that I'm not living in a golden age of space travel like the 60's or no doubt the year 2050 onwards. Its just our luck to be living in a time when small commercial spacecraft in LEO, not even in orbit acually, are all we have to look forward to.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-31-2014 12:23 PM
Virgin Galactic is reporting an "in-flight anomaly" during its powered flight test of SpaceShipTwo today (Oct. 31).
SpaceShipTwo has experienced an in-flight anomaly. Additional info and statement forthcoming.
This was SpaceShipTwo's 55th test flight, 35th time flying free and fourth powered flight.
OV-105 Member
Posts: 816 From: Ridgecrest, CA Registered: Sep 2000
posted 10-31-2014 12:47 PM
Listening to the scanner, it's an Alert 3, aircraft down. One chute was seen. SpaceShipTwo is down. 200 foot wide debris field. One DOA.
OV-105 Member
Posts: 816 From: Ridgecrest, CA Registered: Sep 2000
posted 10-31-2014 12:51 PM
Went down in the are north of California City. North east of highway 14 near Garlock Road, (should be Red Rock Randsburg Road) and Cantile.
OV-105 Member
Posts: 816 From: Ridgecrest, CA Registered: Sep 2000
posted 10-31-2014 12:55 PM
Reports now that a second chute was seen, might have been same chute. Kern County Fire and SO on scene.
OV-105 Member
Posts: 816 From: Ridgecrest, CA Registered: Sep 2000
posted 10-31-2014 01:00 PM
Medical is with one that has been found. Sitting up at this time.
OV-105 Member
Posts: 816 From: Ridgecrest, CA Registered: Sep 2000
posted 10-31-2014 01:05 PM
Mercy Air 14 out of Mojave will be transporting one.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
Virgin Galactic's partner Scaled Composites conducted a powered test flight of SpaceShipTwo earlier today.
During the test, the vehicle suffered a serious anomaly resulting in the loss of SpaceShipTwo. WhiteKnightTwo landed safely.
Our first concern is the status of the pilots, which is unknown at this time.
We will work closely with relevant authorities to determine the cause of this accident and provide updates as soon as possible.
gliderpilotuk Member
Posts: 3398 From: London, UK Registered: Feb 2002
posted 10-31-2014 02:02 PM
AP cites California Highway Patrol, reporting one fatality and one serious injury in the crash.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-31-2014 02:08 PM
SpaceShipTwo debris (via local news footage):
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-31-2014 02:09 PM
SpaceShipTwo debris (via local news footage):
Headshot Member
Posts: 864 From: Vancouver, WA, USA Registered: Feb 2012
posted 10-31-2014 02:16 PM
A former Washington Post reporter is saying, on CNN, that after SpaceShipTwo was released from the carrier aircraft, the engine ignited, but fired for only two seconds. It then re-ignited for about a second before "exploding."
jtheoret Member
Posts: 344 From: Albuquerque, NM USA Registered: Jul 2003
posted 10-31-2014 02:43 PM
Truly devastating. Thoughts with the lost pilot of course and extreme disappointment at the setback this will be for commercial space and for New Mexico's Spaceport America. Very sad news.
fredtrav Member
Posts: 1673 From: Birmingham AL Registered: Aug 2010
posted 10-31-2014 02:50 PM
Very sad. Two failures this week. Loss of life on this one is tragic. Were the pilots Colmer and Mackay?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-31-2014 02:51 PM
The pilots have not yet been identified.
SpaceAholic Member
Posts: 4437 From: Sierra Vista, Arizona Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-31-2014 03:15 PM
Fourth death associated with this program.
cfreeze79 Member
Posts: 455 From: Herndon, VA, USA Registered: Nov 2000
posted 10-31-2014 03:32 PM
And on the 50th anniversary of the passing of Ted Freeman... #irony
Regarding today's mishap near Mojave, I think many of us we recount the words of astronaut Gus Grissom: "If we die we want people to accept it. We are in a risky business, and we hope that if anything happens to us, it will not delay the program. The conquest of space is worth the risk of life. Our God-given curiosity will force us to go there ourselves..."
posted 04-30-2013 09:06 AM
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