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Scaled Composites White Knight Two

January 01, 1970

The Scaled Composites Model 348 White Knight Two (WK2) is a quadjet cargo aircraft that is used to lift the SpaceShipTwo spacecraft to release altitude. It was developed by Scaled Composites from 2007 to 2010 as the first stage of Tier 1b, a two-stage to suborbital-space crewed launch system. WK2 is based on the successful mothership to SpaceShipOne, White Knight, which itself is based on Proteus.

White Knight Two
Role Flying Spaceplane Carrier
Manufacturer Scaled Composites
Designer Robert Morgan, James Tighe[1][2]
First flight December 28, 2008; 15 years ago (2008-12-28)
Number built 1
Developed from Scaled Composites White Knight

With an "open architecture" [citation needed] design and explicit plans for multi-purpose use, the aircraft could also operate as a zero-g aircraft for passenger training or microgravity science flights, handle missions in high-altitude testing more generally, or be used to launch payloads other than SpaceShipTwo.[3] A study of use of the aircraft as a forest fire water bomber has also been mentioned, one that would utilize a large carbon composite water tank that could be quickly replenished to make repeat runs over fires.[3]

The first White Knight Two is named VMS Eve after Richard Branson's mother Eve Branson; it was officially unveiled on July 28, 2008, and flew for the first time on December 21, 2008. The second was expected to be named VMS Spirit of Steve Fossett after Branson's close friend Steve Fossett, who died in an aircraft accident in 2007.[4][5] As of 2023, it is not clear if any other SS2 and WK2 vehicles will actually be built.

History edit

In 2008, Virgin Galactic ordered two White Knight Two vehicles.[6] Together, WK2 and SS2 form the basis for Virgin Galactic's fleet of suborbital spaceplanes.

In November 2010, The Spaceship Company had announced that it planned to build at least three additional White Knight Two aircraft and an additional five SpaceShipTwo rocket planes, the aircraft to be built by Virgin after the initial prototypes of each craft are built by Scaled Composites. [7]

During 2012–2014, Virgin Galactic was also considering use of the WhiteKnightTwo as the air-launch platform for a new two-stage liquid-fueled rocket small satellite launcher called LauncherOne.[8] In the event—by late 2015—they decided to use a larger carrier aircraft for the job. [9]

Design edit

 
PW308 used on the White Knight Two

White Knight Two is roughly three times larger than White Knight in order to perform a captive flight with the larger SpaceShipTwo spacecraft. The WK2 is similar in wingspan to a Boeing B-29 Superfortress.[10] White Knight Two is a very modern aircraft, as even the flight control cables are constructed of carbon fiber, using a new patented design.[3]

WK2 will provide preview flights offering several seconds of weightlessness before the suborbital event. It is intended to have a service ceiling of about 60,000 ft (18 km), offering a dark blue sky to passengers. This will allow tourists to practice before the real flight.[11]

White Knight Two is of twin fuselage design with four jet engines mounted two on each wing.[12] One fuselage is an exact replica of that of SpaceShipTwo (to allow tourist training), and the other will offer 'cut-rate' trips to the stratosphere.[13]

The design is quite different from the White Knight, both in size, use of tail, engine configuration and placement of cockpit(s). The White Knight uses two T-tails, but the White Knight Two uses two cruciform tails. Engine configuration is also very different. White Knight Two has four engines hung underneath the wings on pylons while White Knight's pair of engines are on either side of its single fuselage.

Timeline of introduction edit

 
White Knight Two at its rollout and christening ceremony on July 28, 2008

Virgin Galactic contracted aerospace designer Burt Rutan to build the mothership and spacecraft.[14][15]

On January 23, 2008 the White Knight Two design was revealed.[16] On July 28, 2008 the completion and rollout of the first aircraft, Eve, (Tail Number: N348MS[17]) occurred at Scaled's Mojave headquarters. Branson predicted that the maiden space voyage would take place in 18 months: "It represents... the chance for our ever-growing group of future astronauts and other scientists to see our world in a completely new light."

On March 22, 2010 the VMS Eve completed its 25th flight, the first occasion it carried the SpaceShipTwo, VSS Enterprise. In a flight of 2 hours 54 minutes, it ascended to an altitude of 45,000 ft (14,000 m).[18] The launch customer of White Knight Two is Virgin Galactic, which will have the first two units, and exclusive rights to the craft for the first few years.

Flight test program edit

Main article: Flight test program of VMS Eve

An extensive flight test program of VMS Eve, with nearly twenty flights between December 2008 and August 2009, was undertaken to validate the design and gradually expand the aircraft operating envelope.[19][20] The flight tests were complete by September 2009, and testing with SpaceShipTwo began in early 2010.[21]

Aircraft specifications edit

 

Data from Virgin Galactic Presentation 2007[22]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2 (flight crew) + spaceship launch crew
  • Capacity: payload 17,000 kg (37,479 lb)[23] to 50,000 ft (15,240 m). Planned 200 kg satellite to LEO when carrying a LauncherOne orbital launch vehicle (White Knight Two never carried a LauncherOne rocket on an orbital space launch mission, so this payload figure is theoretical).[24]
  • Length: 78 ft 9 in (24 m)
  • Wingspan: 141 ft 1 in (43 m)
  • Powerplant: 4 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PW308 turbofan engines, 6,900 lbf (30.69 kN) thrust each

Performance

  • Service ceiling: 70,000 ft (21,300 m) [23]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ US patent D612791, Morgan, Robert & Tighe, James, "U.S. Design Patent 612,719 for the ornamental design for an aircraft", issued 2010-03-30 
  2. ^ "WK2 Rollout Audio Clips (parts 4 & 6)". Movaje Skies. 2008-07-30. Retrieved 2009-03-10.
  3. ^ a b c Leonard David (June 6, 2008). "Virgin Galactic Spaceline: Mega-Mothership Set for Rollout Debut". SPACE.com. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
  4. ^ Burack, Ari (10 October 2007). San Francisco Sentinel. Archived from the original on 2008-07-09. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
  5. ^ . Pravda Online. 2008-01-23. Archived from the original on 2008-01-28. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
  6. ^ Malik, Tariq (2008-01-23). "Virgin Galactic Unveils Suborbital Spaceliner Design". SPACE.com. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
  7. ^ Spacecraft factory to break ground in Mojave, Los Angeles Times, 2010-11-08, accessed 2010-11-09.
  8. ^ Rob Coppinger (11 July 2012). "Virgin Galactic Unveils LauncherOne Rocket for Private Satellite Launches". Space.com.
  9. ^ Foust, Jeff (2015-12-04). "Virgin Galactic Acquires Boeing 747 for LauncherOne Missions". Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  10. ^ "Something dangerous and new". thespacereview.com. August 28, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-28.
  11. ^ Leonard David (11 August 2006). "Burt Rutan on Civilian Spaceflight, Breakthroughs, and Inside SpaceShipTwo". Space.com. Retrieved 2007-08-25.
  12. ^ Kenny Kemp (March 2007). Destination Space. Virgin Books.
  13. ^ Spencer Reiss (May 22, 2007). "Burt Rutan and Richard Branson Want You to Hit Space in High Style". Wired.com. Retrieved 2007-08-25.
  14. ^ bbc.co.uk, "Branson unveils space tourism jet" BBC News
  15. ^ "Virgin Galactic rolls out SpaceShipTwo's 'mothership'" newscientist.com,
  16. ^ "Virgin Galactic unveils model of SpaceShipTwo". New Scientist. 23 January 2008. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
  17. ^ . Archived from the original on 2012-03-28. Retrieved 2008-07-28.
  18. ^ . Archived from the original on March 25, 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
  19. ^ "NewSpace Journal". www.personalspaceflight.info.
  20. ^ "Scaled Composites, "White Knight Two Flight Test Summaries" (accessed 2009-10-01)".
  21. ^ "Scaled plans 50,000ft WhiteKnight Two flight by September". Flight International. Reed Business Information. 30 April 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
  22. ^ Will Whitehorn and Alex Tai (2007-07-22). . BrightCove.TV. Archived from the original on 2007-12-23. Retrieved 2007-09-22.
  23. ^ a b Rob Coppinger (9 December 2008). "Virgin Galactic in SpaceShipThree talks". Flightglobal. Retrieved 2008-12-09.
  24. ^ Will Whitehorn (2009-10-27). International Astronautical Congress 2009: Civilian Access to Space (video, comments at c. 9:00). Daejeon, Korea: Flightglobal Hyperbola, Rob Coppinger.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to White Knight Two.
  • BBC - In pictures: Space tourism jet
  • Video of White Knight Two being unveiled
  • Photos of Virgin Galactic’s White Knight Two unveiling
  • Photos of cockpit and interior of White Knight Two

January 01, 1970
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The Scaled Composites Model 348 White Knight Two WK2 is a quadjet cargo aircraft that is used to lift the SpaceShipTwo spacecraft to release altitude It was developed by Scaled Composites from 2007 to 2010 as the first stage of Tier 1b a two stage to suborbital space crewed launch system WK2 is based on the successful mothership to SpaceShipOne White Knight which itself is based on Proteus White Knight Two Role Flying Spaceplane Carrier Manufacturer Scaled Composites Designer Robert Morgan James Tighe 1 2 First flight December 28 2008 15 years ago 2008 12 28 Number built 1 Developed from Scaled Composites White Knight With an open architecture citation needed design and explicit plans for multi purpose use the aircraft could also operate as a zero g aircraft for passenger training or microgravity science flights handle missions in high altitude testing more generally or be used to launch payloads other than SpaceShipTwo 3 A study of use of the aircraft as a forest fire water bomber has also been mentioned one that would utilize a large carbon composite water tank that could be quickly replenished to make repeat runs over fires 3 The first White Knight Two is named VMS Eve after Richard Branson s mother Eve Branson it was officially unveiled on July 28 2008 and flew for the first time on December 21 2008 The second was expected to be named VMS Spirit of Steve Fossett after Branson s close friend Steve Fossett who died in an aircraft accident in 2007 4 5 As of 2023 update it is not clear if any other SS2 and WK2 vehicles will actually be built Contents 1 History 2 Design 3 Timeline of introduction 3 1 Flight test program 4 Aircraft specifications 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksHistory editIn 2008 Virgin Galactic ordered two White Knight Two vehicles 6 Together WK2 and SS2 form the basis for Virgin Galactic s fleet of suborbital spaceplanes In November 2010 The Spaceship Company had announced that it planned to build at least three additional White Knight Two aircraft and an additional five SpaceShipTwo rocket planes the aircraft to be built by Virgin after the initial prototypes of each craft are built by Scaled Composites 7 During 2012 2014 Virgin Galactic was also considering use of the WhiteKnightTwo as the air launch platform for a new two stage liquid fueled rocket small satellite launcher called LauncherOne 8 In the event by late 2015 they decided to use a larger carrier aircraft for the job 9 Design edit nbsp PW308 used on the White Knight Two White Knight Two is roughly three times larger than White Knight in order to perform a captive flight with the larger SpaceShipTwo spacecraft The WK2 is similar in wingspan to a Boeing B 29 Superfortress 10 White Knight Two is a very modern aircraft as even the flight control cables are constructed of carbon fiber using a new patented design 3 WK2 will provide preview flights offering several seconds of weightlessness before the suborbital event It is intended to have a service ceiling of about 60 000 ft 18 km offering a dark blue sky to passengers This will allow tourists to practice before the real flight 11 White Knight Two is of twin fuselage design with four jet engines mounted two on each wing 12 One fuselage is an exact replica of that of SpaceShipTwo to allow tourist training and the other will offer cut rate trips to the stratosphere 13 The design is quite different from the White Knight both in size use of tail engine configuration and placement of cockpit s The White Knight uses two T tails but the White Knight Two uses two cruciform tails Engine configuration is also very different White Knight Two has four engines hung underneath the wings on pylons while White Knight s pair of engines are on either side of its single fuselage Timeline of introduction edit nbsp White Knight Two at its rollout and christening ceremony on July 28 2008 Virgin Galactic contracted aerospace designer Burt Rutan to build the mothership and spacecraft 14 15 On January 23 2008 the White Knight Two design was revealed 16 On July 28 2008 the completion and rollout of the first aircraft Eve Tail Number N348MS 17 occurred at Scaled s Mojave headquarters Branson predicted that the maiden space voyage would take place in 18 months It represents the chance for our ever growing group of future astronauts and other scientists to see our world in a completely new light On March 22 2010 the VMS Eve completed its 25th flight the first occasion it carried the SpaceShipTwo VSS Enterprise In a flight of 2 hours 54 minutes it ascended to an altitude of 45 000 ft 14 000 m 18 The launch customer of White Knight Two is Virgin Galactic which will have the first two units and exclusive rights to the craft for the first few years Flight test program edit Main article Flight test program of VMS Eve An extensive flight test program of VMS Eve with nearly twenty flights between December 2008 and August 2009 was undertaken to validate the design and gradually expand the aircraft operating envelope 19 20 The flight tests were complete by September 2009 and testing with SpaceShipTwo began in early 2010 21 Aircraft specifications edit nbsp Data from Virgin Galactic Presentation 2007 22 General characteristicsCrew 2 flight crew spaceship launch crew Capacity payload 17 000 kg 37 479 lb 23 to 50 000 ft 15 240 m Planned 200 kg satellite to LEO when carrying a LauncherOne orbital launch vehicle White Knight Two never carried a LauncherOne rocket on an orbital space launch mission so this payload figure is theoretical 24 Length 78 ft 9 in 24 m Wingspan 141 ft 1 in 43 m Powerplant 4 Pratt amp Whitney Canada PW308 turbofan engines 6 900 lbf 30 69 kN thrust each Performance Service ceiling 70 000 ft 21 300 m 23 See also edit nbsp Spaceflight portal nbsp Aviation portal Scaled Composites Proteus predecessor to WhiteKnightOne Scaled Composites Stratolaunch Roc derivative of WhiteKnightTwo SpaceShipTwo payload for WhiteKnightTwo WhiteKnightOne predecessor to WhiteKnightTwoReferences edit US patent D612791 Morgan Robert amp Tighe James U S Design Patent 612 719 for the ornamental design for an aircraft issued 2010 03 30 WK2 Rollout Audio Clips parts 4 amp 6 Movaje Skies 2008 07 30 Retrieved 2009 03 10 a b c Leonard David June 6 2008 Virgin Galactic Spaceline Mega Mothership Set for Rollout Debut SPACE com Retrieved 2008 06 10 Burack Ari 10 October 2007 Sir Richard Branson San Francisco Sentinel Archived from the original on 2008 07 09 Retrieved 2008 02 28 Spaceship Company unveils design of SpaceShipTwo Pravda Online 2008 01 23 Archived from the original on 2008 01 28 Retrieved 2008 01 25 Malik Tariq 2008 01 23 Virgin Galactic Unveils Suborbital Spaceliner Design SPACE com Retrieved 2008 01 25 Spacecraft factory to break ground in Mojave Los Angeles Times 2010 11 08 accessed 2010 11 09 Rob Coppinger 11 July 2012 Virgin Galactic Unveils LauncherOne Rocket for Private Satellite Launches Space com Foust Jeff 2015 12 04 Virgin Galactic Acquires Boeing 747 for LauncherOne Missions Retrieved 2015 12 04 Something dangerous and new thespacereview com August 28 2007 Retrieved 2007 08 28 Leonard David 11 August 2006 Burt Rutan on Civilian Spaceflight Breakthroughs and Inside SpaceShipTwo Space com Retrieved 2007 08 25 Kenny Kemp March 2007 Destination Space Virgin Books Spencer Reiss May 22 2007 Burt Rutan and Richard Branson Want You to Hit Space in High Style Wired com Retrieved 2007 08 25 bbc co uk Branson unveils space tourism jet BBC News Virgin Galactic rolls out SpaceShipTwo s mothership newscientist com Virgin Galactic unveils model of SpaceShipTwo New Scientist 23 January 2008 Retrieved 8 December 2009 FAA N Number Registration for Eve Archived from the original on 2012 03 28 Retrieved 2008 07 28 First flight for SpaceShipTwo Archived from the original on March 25 2010 Retrieved 2010 03 22 NewSpace Journal www personalspaceflight info Scaled Composites White Knight Two Flight Test Summaries accessed 2009 10 01 Scaled plans 50 000ft WhiteKnight Two flight by September Flight International Reed Business Information 30 April 2009 Retrieved 8 December 2009 Will Whitehorn and Alex Tai 2007 07 22 Virgin Galactic presentation Oshkosh Theater in the Woods 2007 BrightCove TV Archived from the original on 2007 12 23 Retrieved 2007 09 22 a b Rob Coppinger 9 December 2008 Virgin Galactic in SpaceShipThree talks Flightglobal Retrieved 2008 12 09 Will Whitehorn 2009 10 27 International Astronautical Congress 2009 Civilian Access to Space video comments at c 9 00 Daejeon Korea Flightglobal Hyperbola Rob Coppinger External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to White Knight Two BBC In pictures Space tourism jet Video of White Knight Two being unveiled Photos of Virgin Galactic s White Knight Two unveiling Photos of cockpit and interior of White Knight Two Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Scaled Composites White Knight Two amp oldid 1214432355, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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