Virgin Galactic Unveils New Spaceship 2: A Safer Alternative to Its Predecessor

Today, Virgin Galactic unveiled its new spaceship 2, which is designed to replace the old spaceship that crashed in 2014 during a routine test flight. The new spaceship 2 is essentially the same as its predecessor but has undergone several key changes to make it safer and more reliable. One of the main differences between the two spaceships is the way they launch into space. While the old spaceship launched from the ground like most rockets, the new spaceship 2 was lifted up to an altitude of 50,000 ft by a carrier aircraft called White Knight 2. This approach allows for a more controlled and stable flight.

The new spaceship 2 is designed to take six passengers and two pilots into suborbital space, with the goal of making space accessible to more people in the future. Virgin Galactic believes that space tourism can be a game-changer, bringing positive change to life on Earth. The company's vision is to make space travel regular and affordable, with reusability being a key factor in achieving this goal. By developing a vehicle that can fly repeatedly without the need for extensive refurbishment or replacement, Virgin Galactic aims to make space travel more accessible to a wider audience.

The new spaceship 2 is also designed to prevent "inlight error," which refers to pilot errors that can occur during flight. To address this issue, Virgin Galactic has added fail-safes to the Feathering system, which is critical for safe descent. The Feathering system allows pilots to control the wings of the spacecraft, adjusting their angle to create enough atmospheric drag to slow down the vehicle during its descent. However, in the 2014 crash, one of the pilots inadvertently deployed the Feathering system too early, causing the wings to rotate prematurely and resulting in a loss of control.

To prevent such errors from happening again, Virgin Galactic has implemented a mechanical system that prevents pilots from accidentally deploying the Feathering system during critical phases of flight. This new system requires pilots to click through three computer menus before activating the Feathering system, which slows down the process enough for them to make sure they are ready for the maneuver. While it's unclear whether these changes will be effective in preventing future accidents, Virgin Galactic is confident that the new spaceship 2 represents a significant improvement over its predecessor.

Virgin Galactic has been working hard to develop the new spaceship 2 since the crash in 2014. The company has faced several delays and setbacks along the way, but it remains committed to making space travel safe and accessible for everyone. With the launch of the new spaceship 2, Virgin Galactic is taking a major step forward in its quest to revolutionize space tourism. The company's vision is ambitious, but with the development of this new spaceship 2, Virgin Galactic is well on its way to achieving it.

The new spaceship 2 has several key features that make it an improvement over its predecessor. One of the main advantages is its ability to launch from a carrier aircraft, which provides a more stable and controlled flight profile. This approach also allows for more precise control over the spacecraft's trajectory, reducing the risk of errors or accidents. Additionally, the new spaceship 2 has been designed with safety in mind, featuring multiple redundancies and backup systems to ensure that it can operate even in the event of a critical failure.

Virgin Galactic has already made significant progress in developing the new spaceship 2, with several successful test flights and numerous upgrades and improvements along the way. The company's commitment to safety and reliability is evident in every aspect of its spacecraft design, from the Feathering system to the carrier aircraft that lifts it into space. With the launch of the new spaceship 2, Virgin Galactic is poised to take a major leap forward in the world of space tourism.

The new spaceship 2 has several notable features that set it apart from other commercial spacecraft. One of the most significant advantages is its ability to operate at high speeds, with the goal of reaching Mach 3 and a top altitude of 70 M. This approach allows passengers to experience weightlessness for several minutes, providing an unforgettable thrill ride. Additionally, the new spaceship 2 has been designed to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere slowly and safely, using a combination of aerodynamic forces and heat shields to protect the spacecraft and its occupants.

Virgin Galactic believes that space tourism can be a game-changer, bringing positive change to life on Earth. The company's vision is to make space travel regular and affordable, with reusability being a key factor in achieving this goal. By developing a vehicle that can fly repeatedly without the need for extensive refurbishment or replacement, Virgin Galactic aims to make space travel more accessible to a wider audience.

The new spaceship 2 is designed to take six passengers and two pilots into suborbital space. The spacecraft features multiple compartments, each with its own life support system and emergency equipment. This design allows for greater flexibility and redundancy, reducing the risk of errors or accidents during flight. Additionally, the new spaceship 2 has been equipped with advanced communication systems, allowing passengers to stay in touch with loved ones back on Earth.

Virgin Galactic's space tourism vision is ambitious, but it's clear that the company is committed to making it a reality. With the development of the new spaceship 2, Virgin Galactic is taking a major step forward in its quest to revolutionize space travel. The company's focus on safety and reliability is evident in every aspect of its spacecraft design, from the Feathering system to the carrier aircraft that lifts it into space.

The impact of Virgin Galactic's space tourism vision cannot be overstated. By making space travel regular and affordable, the company aims to inspire a new generation of explorers and scientists. Space tourism has the potential to drive innovation and discovery, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the field of aerospace engineering. With the development of the new spaceship 2, Virgin Galactic is well on its way to achieving this vision.

As Virgin Galactic continues to develop its space tourism program, it's clear that the company will face numerous challenges along the way. However, with a commitment to safety and reliability, Virgin Galactic is poised to take a major leap forward in the world of space tourism. The launch of the new spaceship 2 represents a significant step towards this goal, and we can only speculate on what the future holds for this ambitious project.

The development of the new spaceship 2 has been a long and complex process, requiring numerous upgrades and improvements along the way. Virgin Galactic has faced several delays and setbacks, but it remains committed to making space travel safe and accessible for everyone. With the launch of the new spaceship 2, Virgin Galactic is taking a major step forward in its quest to revolutionize space tourism.

While the future of Virgin Galactic's space tourism program is uncertain, one thing is clear: the company has made significant progress in developing the new spaceship 2. The spacecraft features multiple redundancies and backup systems, reducing the risk of errors or accidents during flight. Additionally, the new spaceship 2 has been designed with safety in mind, featuring advanced communication systems and life support equipment.

As Virgin Galactic continues to develop its space tourism program, it's clear that the company will face numerous challenges along the way. However, with a commitment to safety and reliability, Virgin Galactic is well on its way to achieving its vision of making space travel regular and affordable for everyone. The launch of the new spaceship 2 represents a significant step towards this goal, and we can only speculate on what the future holds for this ambitious project.

In conclusion, the development of the new spaceship 2 represents a major milestone in Virgin Galactic's quest to revolutionize space tourism. With its advanced features and safety-focused design, the spacecraft is poised to take a major leap forward in the world of commercial aerospace engineering. While there are many challenges ahead, it's clear that Virgin Galactic is committed to making space travel safe and accessible for everyone.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: entoday Virgin Galactic unveiled its new spaceship 2 it's the vehicle the company will Ed to replace the old spaceship 2 which crashed in 2014 during a routine test flight this vehicle is basically the same as its predecessor it's a space plane that will launch and return to Earth the same way but there are a few key changes mainly to make it safer and to prevent inlight error now this vehicle is the one that Virgin Galactic will use to potentially people in SE orbital space someday together we can make space accessible in a way that has only been dreamt of before now and by doing that we can truly bring positive change to life on Earth she is destined to fly not just once to space but perhaps thousands of times reusability is key as space Riders to become a regular affordable activity Virgin Galactic is the space tourism Venture of British entrepreneur Richard Branson it's one of a handful of companies racing to offer private citizens the chance to escape Earth's atmosphere since the company was founded in 2004 hundreds of the Rich and Famous have paid the $250,000 price to reserve a seat including Ashton Kutcher Leonardo Dicaprio and Justin Bieber but the company has been beset with delays on Halloween in 2014 One Pilot was killed and another injured during a test flight of spaceship 2 above the Mojave Desert and NSB investigation found that the cause of the crash was due in part to Pilot error it marked the first time someone had died during a private space flight test and the company's only vehicle at the time was completely destroyed since the accident Virgin Galactic has been working hard to build a new safer version of spaceship 2 the space plane is designed to take six passengers and two pilots into suborbital space but rather than launching from the ground like most Rockets the vehicle was lifted up to an altitude of 50,000 ft by a carrier aircraft called White Knight 2 there spaceship 2 deploys and ignites its rocket engine for 70 seconds during a crude flight the vehicle is meant to speed up to above Mach 3 and reach a top altitude of 70 M high this allows passengers to experience a few minutes of weightlessness in suborbit then to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere the vehicle must reposition its wings it's a maneuver known as Feathering the pilots must pull two levers while in space and the wings move from their horizontal position position to a 65° upright angle this helps create enough atmospheric drag to slow down the space plane during its descent the wings eventually shift back to their normal position so that spaceship 2 can glide to a Runway the Feathering system is crucial for spaceships to Safe descent but it also helped cause the 2014 crash one of the pilots unlocked the Feathering system too early during flight this caused the wings to shift prematurely even though the pilots hadn't pulled any levers and the wings wings are only meant to shift in space after the engine has cut off and the vehicle is moving much more slowly instead the wings rotated when spaceship 2 was accelerating at transonic speeds placing too many g-forces on the vehicle and causing it to break apart one of the key differences with this new spaceship 2 is that there are fail safes in place to prevent the pilots from unlocking the Feathering system too early we've added in a mechanical system that prevents our pilots from inadvertently whether through a mistake or anything else during this very brief period on a flight where you don't want that feather to deploy it makes it so you can't deploy it inadvertently during that time period without making it so that during all the other phases of flight when it is a safety system without making it so you have to you know click through three computer menus in order to activate something that you want to be able to activate in a hurry but whether or not these changes work remains to be seen flight testing is scheduled to take place later this year and that's when we'll really know if this is a safer vehicle than beforetoday Virgin Galactic unveiled its new spaceship 2 it's the vehicle the company will Ed to replace the old spaceship 2 which crashed in 2014 during a routine test flight this vehicle is basically the same as its predecessor it's a space plane that will launch and return to Earth the same way but there are a few key changes mainly to make it safer and to prevent inlight error now this vehicle is the one that Virgin Galactic will use to potentially people in SE orbital space someday together we can make space accessible in a way that has only been dreamt of before now and by doing that we can truly bring positive change to life on Earth she is destined to fly not just once to space but perhaps thousands of times reusability is key as space Riders to become a regular affordable activity Virgin Galactic is the space tourism Venture of British entrepreneur Richard Branson it's one of a handful of companies racing to offer private citizens the chance to escape Earth's atmosphere since the company was founded in 2004 hundreds of the Rich and Famous have paid the $250,000 price to reserve a seat including Ashton Kutcher Leonardo Dicaprio and Justin Bieber but the company has been beset with delays on Halloween in 2014 One Pilot was killed and another injured during a test flight of spaceship 2 above the Mojave Desert and NSB investigation found that the cause of the crash was due in part to Pilot error it marked the first time someone had died during a private space flight test and the company's only vehicle at the time was completely destroyed since the accident Virgin Galactic has been working hard to build a new safer version of spaceship 2 the space plane is designed to take six passengers and two pilots into suborbital space but rather than launching from the ground like most Rockets the vehicle was lifted up to an altitude of 50,000 ft by a carrier aircraft called White Knight 2 there spaceship 2 deploys and ignites its rocket engine for 70 seconds during a crude flight the vehicle is meant to speed up to above Mach 3 and reach a top altitude of 70 M high this allows passengers to experience a few minutes of weightlessness in suborbit then to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere the vehicle must reposition its wings it's a maneuver known as Feathering the pilots must pull two levers while in space and the wings move from their horizontal position position to a 65° upright angle this helps create enough atmospheric drag to slow down the space plane during its descent the wings eventually shift back to their normal position so that spaceship 2 can glide to a Runway the Feathering system is crucial for spaceships to Safe descent but it also helped cause the 2014 crash one of the pilots unlocked the Feathering system too early during flight this caused the wings to shift prematurely even though the pilots hadn't pulled any levers and the wings wings are only meant to shift in space after the engine has cut off and the vehicle is moving much more slowly instead the wings rotated when spaceship 2 was accelerating at transonic speeds placing too many g-forces on the vehicle and causing it to break apart one of the key differences with this new spaceship 2 is that there are fail safes in place to prevent the pilots from unlocking the Feathering system too early we've added in a mechanical system that prevents our pilots from inadvertently whether through a mistake or anything else during this very brief period on a flight where you don't want that feather to deploy it makes it so you can't deploy it inadvertently during that time period without making it so that during all the other phases of flight when it is a safety system without making it so you have to you know click through three computer menus in order to activate something that you want to be able to activate in a hurry but whether or not these changes work remains to be seen flight testing is scheduled to take place later this year and that's when we'll really know if this is a safer vehicle than before\n"