Branson spacecraft completes test flight

Just a heads up to something near and dear to my heart

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/3af7390340f7.jpg[/atsimg]

(CNN) -- British billionaire Richard Branson's dream of space travel that thousands of people can afford took a leap toward reality with the maiden flight of the world's first commercial spacecraft over California's Mojave Desert.

Branson's company Virgin Galactic announced Monday that the VSS Enterprise had successfully completed what it called a captive carry flight attached to a carrier plane.

The spacecraft's developer called it a "momentous day."

CNN
If you visit the CNN site they have a video along with the story...
Looks like civilian space flight takes one big step closer

[edit on 23-3-2010 by DaddyBare]

I love this new ship and have followed it's production from the start. What little information was made public by Burt Rutan, I hung on every word.

Nice to see the wheels off the ground after a few setbacks and cost over runs.


See the Virgin Galactic web page here:
www.virgingalactic.com...


EDIT: The image posted by the OP is not the new Enterprise. It's an artist's conception of SS1. See the Virgin Galactic link for video and images of the beta production craft.

[edit on 23/3/2010 by anxietydisorder]

Your headline and picture is a bit misleading...

but anywho...I'm glad to see progress, and I cant wait for late 2011, when she finally goes into space!

First flight w/ Space Ship 2 attached

reply to post by Murcielago


Yeah I know...
but this very early morning when I posted the story this was then only photo I could find of the VSS Enterprise... one of those take what you can get moments