VSS Unity VP-03

Launch, orbit & landing data: Designation   Launch date - time  13 Dec 2018 - 1559:39 UTC Launch site  Runway 30/12 at Mojave Air and Space Port, California. Airplane carier VMS Eve (White Knight Two, flight WK2-261/N202VG-015) Drop point 118.22W 35.39N Spaceship Two Unity VP-03 Mass (kg)   kg Mission Crewed suborbital test flight Crew  Mark P. Stucky &: Frederick W. Sturckow Suborbital flight: High Apogee  82.72 km Max Speed  Mach of 2.9 Landing date - time  13 Dec 2018 - 1613:47 UTC Landing location  idem launch Flight Duration  14m 06s

SpaceShipTwo "Unity" at rollout event on 19 February 2016 in Virgin Galactic FAITH hangar, Mojave, California - Photo credit: Virgin

Launched Crew

Mission Report:

• Virgin Galactic completed its first suborbital spaceflight on Dec 13, 2018. The White Knight Two carrier aircraft, VMS Eve, took off from runway 30/12 at Mojave Air and Space Port, California, at 1559:39 UTC, on its flight WK2-261/N202VG-015. After looping around to the east and north, VMS Eve headed back south towards Mojave and at 1559:39 UTC, over 118.22W 35.39N near Kelso Valley, dropped the Spaceship Two vehicle VSS Unity (at an altitude of 43,000 feet). After 2 second free fall the hybrid motor was ignited for a 60.0 second burn. The spacecraft, carrying astronauts Mark 'Forger' Stucky and Frederick 'C.J.' Sturckow, flew to an apogee of 82.72 km and descended safely to a landing on the same runway at Mojave with wheels stop at 1613:47 UTC for a flight time of 14m 06s.
• It was the fourth powered test flight, thereby surpassing the 50-mile limit used in the United States to denote the limit of space, but falling short of the Kármán line. Both craft landed safely afterwards. The flight was publicized online in various tweets by Virgin Galactic, Branson himself, and related personnel.
• The Federal Aviation Administration congratulated Virgin Galactic and the pilots on their successful flight, and invited the team to Washington, D.C. for a ceremony to award the pilots astronaut wings.
  Virgin Galactic and its personnel were also congratulated on Twitter by U.S Vice President Mike Pence, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, and British astronaut Tim Peake. On the other hand, Virgin Galactic were sharply criticized following the flight by Australian astronaut Andy Thomas, who characterized their sub-orbital program as "a high-altitude aeroplane flight and a dangerous one at that".

SpaceShipTwo Unity on the runway after its seventh glide flight. (Credit; Virgin Galactic)

External links:

• NASA: From Shuttle to SS2 – Sturckow joins Virgin Galactic
• Wikipedia: VP-03
• Wikipedia: Spaceship Two
• Wikipedia: White Knight Two