VSS Unity VF-02

Overview

Destination: Suborbital
Mission: Test Flight

Suborbital Spaceport America Air launch to Suborbital flight

First attempted spaceflight from New Mexico, aborted due to computer malfunction, engine ignited and automatically turned off.

SpaceShipTwo

Family: SpaceShipTwo
Configuration:

The Scaled Composites Model 339 SpaceShipTwo (SS2) is an air-launched suborbital spaceplane type designed for space tourism. It is manufactured by The Spaceship Company, a California-based company owned by Virgin Galactic.

Specifications
  • Stages
    1
  • Length
    18.0 m
  • Diameter
    8.2 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    9 T
  • Thrust
    310 kN
Family
  • Name
    SpaceShipTwo
  • Family
    SpaceShipTwo
  • Variant
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    SpaceShipTwo
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
  • Low Earth Orbit
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

VSS Unity


Active Human Rated Crew On-board: 2 Crew Capacity: 8
Destination: Suborbital
Serial Number: N202VG

VSS Unity, previously referred to as VSS Voyager, is a SpaceShipTwo-class suborbital rocket-powered crewed spaceplane. It is the second SpaceShipTwo to be built and will be used as part of the Virgin Galactic fleet.

SpaceShipTwo Details

Crew


Frederick W. Sturckow

Pilot - American - ( VG )

Status: Active

Date of Birth: Aug. 11, 1961
Age: 62

David Mackay

Pilot - British - ( VG )

Status: Active

Date of Birth: Jan. 1, 1957
Age: 66

Virgin Galactic

Circle Image
Founder: Richard Branson Founded: 2004 Successes: 58 Failures: 5 Pending: 1

Agency Type: Private

Virgin Galactic is an American spaceflight company within the Virgin Group. It is developing commercial spacecraft and aims to provide suborbital spaceflights to space tourists. Virgin Galactic's suborbital spacecraft are air launched from beneath a carrier airplane known as White Knight Two.

INFO WIKI

Related News

Arstechnica

Virgin Galactic’s stock price drops following failed spaceflight attempt

"As we do with every test flight, we are evaluating all the data."

Spaceflight Now

Virgin Galactic pilots land safely after aborting suborbital flight

Two pilots aboard Virgin Galactic’s commercial SpaceShipTwo suborbital rocketplane safely landed back in New Mexico Saturday after a “computer communications loss” triggered an abort of the craft’s engine ignition sequence.

SpaceNews

Virgin Galactic aborts SpaceShipTwo suborbital spaceflight

Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo aborted an attempted suborbital spaceflight Dec. 12 from Spaceport America in southern New Mexico.

NASA Spaceflight

VSS Unity aborts after engine start, safely lands with crew back at Spaceport America

Virgin Galactic was to perform their first human spaceflight of their VSS Unity SpaceShipTwo vehicle from Spaceport America, just south of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, today.

SpaceNews

Virgin Galactic prepares for low-key first spaceflight from New Mexico

When Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo takes to the skies above New Mexico later this month, it will do so without the crowds and publicity once expected for the historic flight.

Air launch to Suborbital flight

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