SpaceShip Two

[docm]

A full-sized mockup of SS2 is supposedly being unveiled tomorrow (Thursday) at the Wired Magazine "NextFest" in NYC.<br /><br />http://www.spaceref.com/calendar/calendar.html?pid=4182 <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[flynn]

Cool can't wait to to see it off the drawing board.<br /><br />Has anyone checked out Virgin Galatic website recently all very flash but hard to navigate.<br /><br />http://www.virgingalactic.com/ <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>

 

[lunatic133]

That's exciting! I can't get the page to load unfortunately. Does anyone know what the differences are going to be between Space Ship 1 and Space Ship 2?

 

[rocketman5000]

The major difference is size. SS2 is designed to carry 5 people IIRC.

 

[Boris_Badenov]

I thought SS2 was going to carry the pilot plus 7. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>

 

[bpfeifer]

I thought I heard (but forget where) that SS2 would carry 5 passengers, a pilot, and an astronaut-assistant. Can you say, "flight attendents in space?" <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Brian J. Pfeifer http://sabletower.wordpress.com<br /> The Dogsoldier Codex http://www.lulu.com/sabletower<br /> </div>

 

[docm]

These hit the 'net last month;<br /><br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Virgin Galactic’s Space Travel Tips<br /><br />Posted on August 26, 2006 @ 07:13:44 EDT<br />Author Leonard David<br /><br />Word from Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic spaceline group is that SpaceShipTwo (SS2) and WhiteKnightTwo are taking shape. <font color="yellow"><b>“The spaceship is bigger, faster, and pretty gorgeous looking. She has many more new and improved features,” although specific details are still hush-hush – such as what’s behind a new, bigger, rocket engine design.</b><br /><br /><b>SS2 will carry 6 passengers and two pilots.</b></font>/b> First flights are expected to be out of Mojave, California before the move to the new Spaceport America in New Mexico, the Virgin Galactic update notes.<br /><br />Also, look for a “conceptual interior” of SS2 to show up in late September in New York as part of the Wired NextFest alongside a scale size replica of SpaceShipOne.<br /><br />According to Virgin Galactic, more than 60,000 people have now registered an interest in becoming Virgin Galactic Astronauts, with 30% from the U.S., 15% from the U.K. and 10% Australia. The number of people who have paid a deposit continues to rise. Virgin Galactic Founder Astronauts come from a range of 13 countries, with around 55% from the U.S. with an approximately 80/20 split male/female.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote> <br /><br />My other readings say that the cabin is about the volume of a Gulfstream V jet and EVE, the mothership, somewhere around the size of a 737 (source: BBC). <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[PistolPete]

Yes folks, spaceflight for the masses is here! And all it tooks was a rich carismatic Brit with a goatee and guy that lives out in the Mojave desert in a pyramid. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br />BTW Best of luck to Rich and Burt on their new spacecraft. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em>So, again we are defeated. This victory belongs to the farmers, not us.</em></p><p><strong>-Kambei Shimada from the movie Seven Samurai</strong></p> </div>

 

[holmec]

Sweet! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <br /><br />..looking for spare $200,000.00 in change in my sofa... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[gawin]

Sir Richard Branson will also be on Letterman tomarow night

 

[docm]

We can only hope he brings along pics/video of his new toy <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <br /><br />The first one will be named the VSS Enterprise<br /><br />The second one is rumored to be named VSS Voyager<br /><br />SpaceShip Three, which depends on the success of SS2, will supposedly be orbital.<br /><br />Given that SS2's design was set in 2005 and the speed with which they moved to simulation, and now construction, one would suspect that early SS3 designs are already in the Scaled Composites computers. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[flynn]

I mentioned in the Enviromental forum (discussion on Virgin donating profits to environmental causes) that VirginGalatic will have to move onto SS3 if it wants to stay in the tourism game for any length of time. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>

 

[docm]

Taking odds: SS3 = t/Space's CXV COTS entry.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[nacnud]

One thing that Branson mentioned when questioned on TV about his commitment to climate change and the estimated $3Bn he has earmarked to fight it was regarding virgin galactic. <br /><br />He said that the fuel used was non-polluting as it was the same as candle wax. <br /><br />Anyone know of any hybrids that used this fuel?

 

[docm]

Yup. NASA/Ames tested paraffin hybrids in 2003;<br /><br />http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/news/releases/2003/03images/paraffin/paraffin.html<br /><br />http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/images/content/74508main_First_fire.jpg <br /><br />but amature rocket makers had been experimenting with them long before that. Paraffin has lots of advantages; it's dirt cheap, non-toxic, easy as heck to cast etc. etc.<br /><br />By-products: water & CO2 <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[holmec]

>"...other readings say that the cabin is about the volume of a Gulfstream V jet..."<br /><br />That seems a little, (OK a lot,) excessive.<br /><br />The cabin (pressurized,) volume is probably closer to that of a Lear 23, but the overall fuselage volume with power systems would be much larger. That might be what they meant?<<br /><br />Burt Rutan wants the public to experience weightlessness to the full. Plus remember he designs airplanes. The more volume/mass the less fuel you need to manipulate the craft. Its only about 4 to 5 minutes in space so the to maximise the experience you need room and lots of windows.<br /><br />Besides its not a government program and they can do whatever they want. So why do you say the room is excessive? Excessive for what? This is the first ship of its kind. A Space liner. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[docm]

Exactly. Early on Rutan said he wanted for the passengers to be able to float in the cabin during the microgravity portion of the flight. For 6-7 people to do that you need plenty of room. <br /><br />The BBC report I read reported the inside of SS2 was about 6 feet high and 7 feet wide. A G-V is 6.2 feet high and 7.3 feet wide. It'll be interesting to see if its cabin is close to the G-V's 50.1 feet length & 1669 cu/ft volume. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[spacefire]

go here to see it:<br />http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/first-images-of-virgin-galactic-spaceshiptwo-cabin-203802.php<br /><br /><br />it's way bigger than SS1!!!!! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[spacefire]

looking at these images I remmeber the first time I saw pictures of SS1 and got so excited...it was in 2003, I was still in college, about to gradu8 and I was at the computer lab working on a project. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[spacefire]

wow....I even beat space.com to the punch. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[tplank]

Good show... we appreciate it! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>The Disenfranchised Curmudgeon</p><p>http://tonyplank.blogspot.com/ </p> </div>

 

[flynn]

Love the graphic with Icarus flight altitude of 6' <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>

 

[josh_simonson]

I think that's vehicle length, not altitude.<br /><br />I think 6' is a little generous for a greek guy 3000 years ago. He was probably closer to 5', quite possibly less.

 

[radarredux]

> <i><font color="yellow">go here to see it:</font>/i><br /><br />I wonder if wearing those skintight outfits is a requirement, and if it is, I wonder if it will make a few people think twice about going. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /></i>

 

[flynn]

You're right, but its still cool. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>