Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo Completes First Flight From Spaceport America
May 01 2020 - 2:14PM
Business Wire
SpaceShipTwo goes solo in New Mexico
airspace
Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SPCE) (“Virgin Galactic”
or “the Company”) and The Spaceship Company (“TSC”) today announced
the successful completion of its first SpaceShipTwo test flight
from Spaceport America.
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SpaceshipTwo Unity flying free in the New
Mexico Airspace for the first time (Photo: Business Wire)
This glide flight marks the inaugural solo flight of VSS Unity
in New Mexico and as such is an important flight test milestone in
preparation for commercial service.
On SpaceShipTwo’s flight deck were Dave Mackay and CJ Sturckow
who, together with the team in Mission Control, executed some of
the key elements of a spaceflight profile. These included take-off
and landing along with high-altitude release from the mothership,
VMS Eve, which was piloted by Michael Masucci and Kelly
Latimer.
The flight took off from the Spaceport America runway, with VSS
Unity attached to the carrier aircraft, VMS Eve. The vehicles
climbed to an altitude of 50,000ft before Unity was released, at
which point VSS Unity flew freely for the first time in New Mexico
airspace. The spaceship achieved a glide speed of Mach 0.70 and
completed multiple test-points, before touching back down smoothly
for a runway landing at Spaceport America.
This test flight was conducted under a set of stringent
operational protocols to ensure safety against COVID-19. Its
successful execution was made possible by a concerted effort to
redesign all the operational elements required for safe flight test
while meeting new health and wellness protocols. These protocols
include changes to the work areas and procedures to enforce social
distancing as advised by state guidelines as well as universal mask
usage.
This flight milestone represents a major achievement which has
been in the planning since SpaceShipTwo relocated to Virgin
Galactic’s New Mexico commercial headquarters in February. Virgin
Galactic also fully concluded the relocation of its spaceline
operations team and their families to New Mexico.
This glide flight provided the first opportunity to test all the
components required to fly the carrier aircraft and spaceship in
glide configuration, from a new home base and in new airspace. Dave
and CJ performed a series of maneuvers with VSS Unity designed to
gather data about performance and handling qualities in order to
enhance our aerodynamic modeling and verify against similar
maneuvers that were performed earlier in Unity’s test flight
program. The flight test also provided an opportunity for the
pilots and spaceflight operations team to continue familiarisation
with the new airspace around the Gateway to Space and a chance to
capture valuable in-flight data and conduct further pilot
training.
Friday’s flight successfully completed all test objectives.
Virgin Galactic would like to express its thanks to New Mexico
Spaceport Authority (NMSA), the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR),
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Albuquerque Flight Standards
District Office (FSDO), and the FAA Air Traffic Control Center in
Albuquerque for smooth coordination and efficient integration.
Preparation for the next flight will now begin, starting with an
in depth analysis of today’s flight data.
George Whitesides, CEO of Virgin Galactic and The Spaceship
Company said, “I’d like to congratulate our team for reaching this
flight milestone, especially during these challenging times. I am
grateful for the commitment displayed by everyone involved, not
only in helping to support relief efforts in both New Mexico and
California, but also for the dedication and creativity which will
allow us to continue safely towards our goal of commercial
launch.”
“Today’s VSS Unity flight is another exciting milestone for
Virgin Galactic's progress in New Mexico. We are extremely happy
and proud of Virgin Galactic, not only for today’s success but also
for the exceptional way they have integrated into NM and supported
the region and State during this stressful time dealing with the
COVID-19 pandemic. Spaceport America and Virgin Galactic have
adhered to new guidelines set by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to
include social distancing and wearing masks. A big thank you to our
foundational partner at Spaceport America!” said Dan Hicks,
Executive Director of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority.
About Virgin Galactic Holdings
Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. is a vertically integrated
aerospace company, pioneering human spaceflight for private
individuals and researchers, as well as a manufacturer of advanced
air and space vehicles. Using its proprietary and reusable
technologies and supported by a distinctive, Virgin-branded
customer experience, it is developing a spaceflight system designed
to offer customers a unique, multi-day, transformative experience.
This culminates in a spaceflight that includes views of Earth from
space and several minutes of weightlessness that will launch from
Spaceport America, New Mexico. Virgin Galactic and The Spaceship
Company believe that one of the most exciting and significant
opportunities of our time lies in the commercial exploration of
space and the development of technology that will change the way we
travel across the globe in the future. Together we are opening
access to space to change the world for good.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements
within the meaning of federal securities laws. Forward-looking
statements are predictions, projections and other statements about
future events that are based on current expectations and
assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and
uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to
differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this
communication. You should carefully consider the risks and
uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of the
registration statement on Form S-4 filed in connection with the
Business Combination and other documents filed by Virgin Galactic
from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address
other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
events and results to differ materially from those contained in the
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only
as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put
undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
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