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This image is the property of Reed Business Information's Flight Group, saving this image to a local computer for any reason other than personal use will result in legal action
Hyperbola has heard from Mojave sources that Virgin Galactic's Scaled Composites built WhiteKnightTwo has flown again today, confirming this Personal Spaceflight blog report. More details will be posted as soon as we get them
A crash yesterday delayed the second flight that was to have taken place then
UPDATE: Find more details about the second flight in the extended portion of this blog post
WK2 did one taxi run, then took off from Mojave airprot's runway 30, accompanied by the Beech Starship chase plane
The aircraft did a low pass, and then a touch-and-go before finally touching down on runway 12, opposite of the take-off direction
Witnesses tell Hyperbola that while taxiing back to the apron after its second flight WK2's pilots were either playing with the steering or the strong cross winds that had whipped up during the flight were giving the pilots problems in keeping the aircraft straight
Hyperbola will soon have details of changes made to WK2 to improve its handling as well
UPDATED 1955h GMT: In response to an email asking Virgin Galactic president Will Whitehorn for test flight details , he says: "Just had an email from Burt [Rutan], it was a flawless 1.5h flight but have not got an altitude yet."
on February 5, 2009 7:36 PM | Reply
"A crash yesterday delayed the second flight that was to have taken place then"
... a crash of a completely different aircraft, that is.
on February 6, 2009 12:11 PM | Reply
I know, it sounds crazy, but why do I get the feeling that this contraption will not function as anticipated. Same goes for SSII. The uncertainty concerning the state of completion seems to forshadow multiple delays that in the long run will lead to a dead end because Branson pulls the plug.
on February 6, 2009 3:52 PM | Reply
I hope I'm not the only one who finds it *slightly* amusing that the crashed plane from the other day (which delayed this flight) is still sitting in its crashed position visible in the picture of WKII taking off.
on February 6, 2009 3:56 PM | Reply
I am glad someone noticed why we chose that picture. ;-)
on February 6, 2009 4:31 PM | Reply
We all noticed Rob. More interesting are the WK2's airbrakes out after take off. Picture taken after the touch-and-go?
on February 6, 2009 5:18 PM | Reply
Getting back on the crashed plane topic - he should not drink and fly.
If SS2 has the plug pulled we still have Elon - he can do anything. And much quicker.
on February 7, 2009 5:46 PM | Reply
"This image is the property of Reed Business Information's Flight Group, saving this image to a local computer for any reason other than personal use will result in legal action"
You are aware of things like browser caches, yes?
If you dont want people to download your pictures, dont post them on the internet.
Sorry to say that, but this is about the most stupid thing I have seen on this otherwise excellent site to date.
on February 7, 2009 6:31 PM | Reply
Picture probably on low pass. Heading down runway 12
on February 8, 2009 10:52 AM | Reply
You don't seem to understand, we don't mind people downloading the picture if they want to have it as desktop background or just a picture in a collection of theirs. The problem we have had, relating to Virgin Galactic material, is that images we had PAID FOR were turning up on sites that were commercial in nature (not some personal blog) and the images and information relating to them were being presented as some other organisation's scoop. That sort of plagiarism, and quite frankly stealing, will not be tolerated.
on February 8, 2009 11:01 AM | Reply
Our photographer told us the following: "There are two sets of airbrakes/spoilers. I've been told that the plane has so much power that it can take off with one set open (I'll have to re-check my pics to see if it's the inner or outer set), and indeed they did that [have one spoiler set open] during the touch-and-go, which is when I shot the picture [used on Hyperbola]."
on February 12, 2009 5:27 AM | Reply
Just a reminder .. .This is a TEST flight. There will be many more and I'm sure the craft will be revised several times. Thus is the nature of flight science.
There is no way Virgin ( Branson ) is going to pull out of this. No way. I do however expect many 'challenges' ( problems if you must ) ... Lets not be negative. Its great that they've gotten to this stage ! I believe it will run much later than first announced but so what !
Go Spaceshiptwo !!!!