tnjen
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Scaled Composites WhiteKnightTwo
With the wingspan of a B-29 bomber, the WhiteKnightTwo is the largest all-carbon-fiber aircraft ever built. Its mission is to carry a smaller craft, SpaceShipTwo, and drop it at 48,000 feet, where it will blast off into suborbital space with paying passengers—in 2010, if all goes well. Virgin Galactic’s CEO, Richard Branson, also wants to use WhiteKnightTwo as a low-cost way to launch satellites into orbit. Scaled Composites engineers had to overcome numerous setbacks, including a fatal explosion at the company’s headquarters, to finish the craft.
11.26.2008 at 01:20pm - Comment by tnjenIs the CXV still slated to be a part of the WhiteKnight's duties? For clarification, the CXV is part of the COT's program initiated by NASA to have a replacement for the retirement of the shuttle. WhiteKnight is supposed to provide air launches for the CXV vehicle which will allow 4 astronauts orbital insertions. Also a means for trips to the ISS, and possibly Bigalow's stations???
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December 2009: Best of What's New
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