VSS Unity captive carry test underway

The first flight test of VSS Unity, the Virgin Galactic replacement for Spaceship Two, is currently undergoing its first captive carry flight test out of Mojave Air and Space Port in California.

It's the first flight for the new craft, and the beginning of flight testing after the loss of Spaceship Two on a test flight. The test is planned to be longer than normal and features a crew on both craft. The longer test allows for ground support to get an idea of how the systems react to the extreme cold without going into space.

Currently the only source is Facebook.

m.facebook.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Very exciting stuff. These private ventures into space travel are indeed a good thing. Hopefully we will see more and more progress and success from these companies.

Thanks for the update on this Zaph.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I managed to catch test flights on Flightradar24in the past. But as i gander over that way, i don't see it. I don't do FB.
I hope them the best. When they do fly, they head out off the coast past NAS point magu. Sometimes out past Lompoc. Sadly all i see at the moment, is what appears to be a Hawker Hunter F.58a .

Off Sub: 3 P8 Poseidons flew into Pittsburgh Intl. Between 6:30 and 7 pm est. Can't track most military, so i wondered where the were coming from. 🤔

From Virgin Galactic:

Today marks an exciting milestone in our shared quest to open space to change the world for good. For the first time, a spaceship built by our manufacturing arm, The Spaceship Company, and operated by us at Virgin Galactic has taken to the skies....

Read more at Virgin Galactic.

a reply to: OneGoal

Yeah it all starts off as fun and games with little private ventures into space for tourism and the elite to be frolicking on their space jollies.

But all too soon they'll be strip mining every rock in the solar system

And then they start colonising other planets in other solar systems and terraforming all for profit.

AND THEN

They'll be sending crews to their death to mysterious signals from crashed alien craft in order to bring back some Alien Xenomorph in order to weaponise....

You laugh now, but ONE of these companies is going to end up the real life version of Weyland Yutani

a reply to: Discotech

Oh believe me, im aware of those prospects and im not laughing! Its up to us with keen eyes like many here on ATS to shed light on questionable or down right bad ventures.

The flight lasted 3 hours 43 minutes, and reached above 50,000 feet. Virgin will analyze the data and determine if more captive carry flights are necessary or if they can begin glide tests.

www.flightglobal.com...

The performed the first feather test today over Mojave.