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First Flight For SpaceShipTwo

Posted by timothy on from the next-time-do-it-from-l.a. dept.

mknewman writes "Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo rocket plane took to the air for the first time this [Monday] morning from California's Mojave Air and Space Port. The craft, which has been christened the VSS Enterprise, remained firmly attached to its WhiteKnightTwo carrier airplane throughout the nearly three-hour test flight. It will take many months of further tests before SpaceShipTwo actually goes into outer space. Nevertheless, today's outing marks an important milestone along a path that could take paying passengers to the final frontier as early as 2011 or 2012."

2 of 190 comments (clear)

  1. Re:They had to go and name it Enterprise... by MyLongNickName · · Score: 5, Funny

    Please see this post for the answer.

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  2. One small step for man... by DiamondGeezer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Let's get this all in perspective. I was born in the mid 1960's.

    1960's - humankind put people into space and then put them around and then on the Moon.
    1970's - humankind stopped bothering putting them on the Moon, but did put them in high orbit - Skylab
    1980's - humankind dumped Skylab into the sea (and Western Australia) but brought in the shuttle
    1990's - humankind used the Shuttle to get people into low earth orbit and started to build the International Space Station
    2000's - humankind decides to retire Shuttle and considers retiring the ISS
    2010's - humankind lifts people to the edge of the atmosphere.

    At this rate by the time I'm retired, humankind will have set its sights for the top of the stairs. It may make it - but only if its risk-free.

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