Have you remebered the Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic Mothership. Today Virgin Founder, Sir Richard Branson and SpaceShipOne designer, Burt Rutan, pulled back the hangar doors on the new WhiteKnightTwo (WK2) carrier aircraft. It is the world's largest all carbon composite aircraft. The vehicle has a maximum altitude over 50,000 ft and its U.S. coast-to-coast range will allow the spaceship to be ferried on long duration flights. Powered by four Pratt and Whitney PW308A engines. This will be scheduled once WK2 is at the appropriate stage in its extensive test program, which has already begun with ground tests; it is expected to take its first flight in the fall of 2008. The flight test program will be comprehensive even before SpaceShipTwo is carried as a payload for the first time in 2009.
Space.com Virgin Galactic Unveils Space Liner Mothership, link.
CrunchGear live photos, link.
The Gizmodo live photos, link.
[ Update ] More photos from Dave Malkoff of CBS News. After more, add a event video. |
