VIRGIN GALACTIC Spaceship Makes First Solo Test Flight

A private spaceship flew its first solo test flight on Oct. 10 from Mojave Air and Space Port in California, according to the following article. Though the craft did not reach space, it was a major milestone for SpaceShipTwo backed by billionaire Richard Branson, establishing the Virgin Galactic firm to offer passengers suborbital treks at $200,000 a seat. Wow! Just like in  the movies!
     . . . June

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Virgin Galactic's Private Spaceship Makes First Solo Glide Flight
Yahoo! News: "SPACE.com Leonard David

A private suborbital spaceship flew its first solo test flight today (Oct. 10) from Mojave Air and Space Port in California.

Though the craft did not reach space, it was a major milestone for the Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo, which flew in glide mode for some 15 minutes once released from its carrier plane, WhiteKnightTwo, according Bill Deaver, an eye-witness of the test flight.

'It was perfect landing,' Deaver told SPACE.com. 'It looked just spectacular.'

Once released from the huge mothership, two pilots controlled the SpaceShipTwo to a safe runway touchdown

Designed to carry six ticket-holding passengers, the suborbital spaceship is named VSS Enterprise. U.K. billionaire Richard Branson is backing the development of the spaceliner, establishing the Virgin Galactic firm to offer passengers suborbital treks at $200,000 a seat. To date, over 340 people have signed-up for flights to the edge of space
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There has been a steady progression of testing of the vehicles over the last several months. For example, for the first time on July 15, VSS Enterprise flew with crew on board.

The first WhiteKnightTwo, christened VMS Eve after Richard Branson's mother, was revealed to the public for the first time in July 2008 and started its test flight program later that year.

As planned for that test last July, the spaceship remained attached to its carrier plane -- VMS Eve -- for the duration of the flight, and numerous combined vehicle systems tests were conducted. Also in that flight, the two crew members on board VSS Enterprise evaluated all of the spaceship's systems and functions from end to end in the air.

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