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SpaceShipTwo to Test Fly in Space by Year End, Virgin Galactic Says

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Key Takeaways:

  • Virgin Galactic aims to test fly its SpaceShipTwo outside Earth's atmosphere by the end of the year, following numerous glide and mothership tests and planned rocket motor installation.
  • SpaceShipTwo, designed by Scaled Composites, is a 60-foot, carbon-composite spacecraft intended to carry two pilots and six passengers on suborbital space tourism flights.
  • The company has sold nearly 500 seats at $200,000 each, with passenger service now projected to begin in 2013 or 2014, a delay from original 2008 estimates.
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The space tourism venture launched by billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson is looking to test fly SpaceShipTwo outside of Earth’s atmosphere before the end of this year, the company said earlier this week.

To date, the carbon-composite spacecraft has completed 16 glide tests, as well as 15 tests while attached to its mothership, WhiteKnightTwo. ** Virgin Galactic** says it is making preparations to install the rocket motor in the spaceship later this year, with the first rocket-powered test flights to follow thereafter.

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