VSS Enterprise Manned Free Flight Test Virgin Galactic

[kimdals]

Spaceflight is freaking awesome ! I would buy a trip in a heartbeat and Sir Richard Branson is legendary for having the courage to invest in the future...bringing space closer to an average dane like my self. *Cheers from Denmark

[igothacked112]

Once flights become more affordable and these flight companies take you to the moon, the moon will be trashed and it will just become another earth... :( same goes for the other planets.

[godschandler1979]

I've seen you....

[astropeachexperience]

that was stable and lame.

[030terror]

Nice flight... but i didnt see that plane going to the moon or anything paying 100,000 $ for a quik vieuw of space .... naaa let me see UR anus first then i pay ROFL

[Chapulinazuladomx]

print more money to buy one of these planes

[colm1234gt]

A ticket for this trip costs 200,000 dollars, a ticket into space in a russian mig25 costs 20,800 for the same, if not even better experience. So eh, well done to anyone who already bought a ticket from virgin galactic.

[leadbelly123]

@colm1234gt What are you talking about?

A Mig 25 can't break through the Earth's Atmosphere, not even to mention the fact it's not designed to go into space. Going high enough to see the curvature of the Earth and actually going into space are two different things. You'd have to be pretty stupid to not understand the difference.

[AwsomeAthiest]

@colm1234gt A U2 spy plane can only reach 70,000 feet, virgin galactic goes to 400,000ft, plus you get weightlessness, and you dont in a plane, plus your not strapped in your seat in virgin galactic, so you can float around.

Perhaps you should do some research before opening your mouth, troll!

[matter45]

@colm1234gt the day we see migs go 100km into space is the day when we also bring Michael Jackson and Elvis back to life.

[Finkletonian]

**sound is too early.

@jungmannfabian

[greenseaships]

Like it or not, this is probably the future of manned spaceflight in America: A hybrid of private industry developing spacecraft with government (NASA) support. I can imagine an age where Scaled Composites is building larger orbital space planes and NASA is providing the astronauts and some of the resources. Anything's better than depending on the Russians to get our people into space forever. :/

[9753241860hb]

@greenseaships America should pay off its debt before considering space travel

[xero993]

@9753241860hb As greenseaships states; the future of American spaceflight is in the private industry, with the government only giving minor grants and challenges - that way there's more competitiveness which will lead to better and better products, while costing the government relatively little - it'll be just like the Soviet vs US space race, except with no war.

[raphy1123]

@9753241860hb this is the private sector, not the government...

[9753241860hb]

@raphy1123 No, not this I mean NASA

[rebelVHS]

Great footage.

In YouTube, search for "CHEAP SPACE CHANT"

[midlander4]

How is this "Galactic" exactly? As Sir Richard says, they've been doing this since 2004. And what is there to show so far? Loads of CGI simulations and countless press releases. And a nice plane dropping another nice plane over the desert. So the Crab Nebula would still appear to be a few months away, I would guess.

I'm no NASA fanboy but in the 60's they put a man on the Moon in less than a decade with comparatively primitive tech. Is this progress? And how are the Virgin Vodka sales doing?

[krisdevalle]

@midlander4 NASA threw billions at the Apollo program, and it stood on the shoulders of Mercury and Apollo. Branson is trying to keep a company y profitable while investing in new technologies. It's a matter of economy of scale.

[midlander4]

@krisdevalle Don't argue with any of your points kris, but let's not pretend this is about 'space travel'. It's a cleverly nuanced PR move to sell more Virgin Atlantic seats, with Scaled Composites - an existing commercial entity - doing all the heavy lifting. Let's just have a little bet now and guess exactly when Virgin Oceanic will hit the depths they're talking about...

[krisdevalle]

@midlander4 I understand your literalism, but not your cynicism. Obviously this investment is advancing the reality and technology of private space flight.

I feel more optimistic about it. Sure 'Galactic' is perhaps an ambitious name, but it's a lot more catchy than 'Virgin Sub-Orbital'.

[midlander4]

How is this "Galactic" exactly? As Sir Richard says, they've been doing this since 2004. And what is there to show so far? Loads of CGI simulations and countless press releases. And a nice plane dropping another nice plane over the desert. So the Crab Nebula would still appear to be a few months away, I would guess.

I'm no NASA fanboy but in the 60's they put a man on the Moon in less than a decade with comparatively primitive tech. Is this progress? And how are the Virgin Vodka sales doing?

[sowatyawant]

Remember the price for a DVD player when they first came out? I think I payed about $350.00. How much can you get one for nowadays? 20.00? I think I will wait until they get all the kinks worked out and by then the pricing should come down as well. Sub orbital 360,000 feet above sea level is close enough to space as I'll ever need to get. I'm for it can you tell??????

[Georgeqaws]

nice paint job

[wiley2006]

@cjdaddy43 You have to start somewhere, commercial flights used to be too expensive for the average person.

[ti994apc]

I don't get why people get so excited over this. At best its coming 1/4 th of the way to the lowest Earth orbit. It has not even broken the x-15 records. It has no chance of coming close to ISS and certainly does not compare to achievements of SpaceX. Its called ** SUB ** orbital for a reason. Because it has no chance of reaching orbit. Not impressed at all.

[DeepDeepSpace]

What are they celebrating for? They didn't do anything. Gliders have been around for almost a hundred years.

[ickyzorro]

@DeepDeepSpace Every space program has stepping stones on the way to success. Was it big when we sent a satellite into space? The Russians had already done that. The idea is that they're going to build on this so the final model will be able to do a runway landing on its return trip.

[aForkandaSpoon]

I wonder how much it costs to fly VS a NASA shuttle. They should make a larger one for cargo a ISS

[superwawisuperstars]

Eat Crap NASA!! Keep your secrets! We dont need them!

[topspeed10]

It glides beautifully.

[PUSHA304]

Too bad it cost's $200,000 for a seat

[jewlzorjay]

@PUSHA304

The crazy thing is he actually want competition and a lot of it just to drive the cost down.

[PUSHA304]

@jewlzorjay Really?

[jewlzorjay]

@PUSHA304

His whole philosophy is about doing things that change mankind, and he want trips into outer space to be the norm, which is only possible when other competitors come up with cheaper ways of doing the same thing like car manufacturers.

[PUSHA304]

@jewlzorjay That makes sense. I cant wait for the Kia of Galactic flights then maybe I will go

[apostolicaspie]

@PUSHA304 Keep your Kia: I'm waiting for WARP FLIGHT!!!

[PUSHA304]

@apostolicaspie ???

[apostolicaspie]

@PUSHA304 In other words, ..... I'm waiting for Trekkie-ish star ships.

[IQ20000Berta]

He speaks not only, like the most people with dreams. He realized his visions.

[angryrhyno]

Awsome, hats off to you Mr Branson

[losteden]

this is sand for the eyes of the people, the true stuff is hidden

[NoLongerFooled]

Where's the motor Burt, where is the motor?

The last motor you tried killed 3 people and injured 3 more. I ain't buying any of it until we see the motor, in operation, several times.

[blazeslayer]

Landing was perfection!!

[AtheistPatriot1]

So when is the actual space trip scheduled?

[oliverlebot]

that one person that disliked that was the guys from canadian Arrow... LOL

but you couldnt ask for a more beautiful flare

[B0rnToRoll]

Once Virgin Galactic starts and people start to go to space it will then stop as their will a disaster at some point. Hopefully that never happens

[MachineAgeVictim]

watch out for the sheep at 2:05

[Jabbtoth]

cool stuff

[zombie2uonROBLOX]

Should've done a touch and go!

[Yevv]

Bird Rutan is a grate aeronatical designer, but he must geave some credit to good piloting skills for that landing too! To land that thing that smooth in first time flying. Respect!

[no1frontman]

@Yevv its burt lol

[Yevv]

@no1frontman I'm legostenic ROFL

[lapleopards]

Jim Cameron said he'll take one person with him when he goes up. Take me, Jim, take me! I would love to be absolutely scared to death but in total awe. Sigh, it gives this 58 year old woman something to dream about.

[caddict69]

mr bronson.book me a flight i will deposit $2 mil...for 3 people...

[cjellwood]

looks like a fun plane to fly even if not in space

[pnd97]

Fricken awesome!

Imagine being dropped in a plane that has never flown before; not even in wind-tunnel testing.

Pete Seibold (like all test pilots) has balls.

[starguy2718]

@pnd97 Solid BRASS balls!

[pnd97]

Fricken awesome!

Imagine being dropped in a plane that has never flown before; not even in wind-tunnel testing.

[Zoomer30]

Simply put, this ship will have the same NO2/carbon wax hybrid engine as SSO had. It's bascially a solid rocket motor you can shut off (cut off the NOX, no oxygen, no combustion). Safer and simpler than pure liquid propellant engines.

[Zoomer30]

This was a TEST FLIGHT! NASA did the same thing with the first test shuttle (named :) Enterprise). The real thing will have a rocket engine like the test vehicle for VSS Enterprise, which was named SpaceShipOne. SSO was much smaller than Enterprise. It flew into space in 2004 and won the Xprize.

[SlavjanA]

WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! 

[grissomairport]

Congratulations! Quite an accomplishment. Aviation and Space pioneering is still alive and doing extremely well!

[rzorNvme]

so does the plane even have an engine??? basically it's free falling and people are going to pay $200,000.

[boomshanka]

@rzorNvme It will eventually get a rocket engine. Right now, the glide test phase has begun.

[maxsmodels]

The future is hear.

[khalid01234]

unbelievable.

keep going guys.

[CheekyMonkey888]

very impressive

[cannonmaker]

They need to lose that nose skid and add a wheel.

[w29bum]

@cannonmaker yea i was about to say. why not just put a freakin nose wheel on instead of leaving a skid line or gouging out the runway

[sam90]

@w29bum its abt the weight ppl. thats why they dont have nose gear.

[bajesus666]

i guess the designer didnt know how many aircraft to make. 1 or 3.

[StarostaXmetin2]

LOL?!

[mutt1256]

Best of luck to the Virgin Galactic group,real neat set of planes.

[gryzman]

do they seriously think the nose wheel on this thing is safe ?

I bet one of the first (fatal) accidents in this will be when that wheel collapses on landing.

[polecat987]

@gryzman yup i think it will be pretty safe, its not the first design with skids, also it seems that that design is part or helps reduce the landing roll

[TheLonelyGosu]

exelent! Do you know if those who will be the pilots of this airline will need to be military pilots or civil pilots? I'm a civil, commercial pilot, I'm just 20, and I hope to be able to work in any of these airlines in the future :)

[389Lee]

This is fantastic.

[uncleezra1]

Wow- what a time to be alive! Commercial space transportation companies guarantee a premanent space effort which will profoundly change our outlook on everything!

Sir Richard and Bert Rutan just may be laying the foundation for a truly permanent off world presence.

[techguy3000]

A new airline!

[TPTaylor]

haha take a listen at 2:09 , it's CHARLIEEEEEEEEEE

[MokomaSusi]

@steelborn234

Yes.

[RoboTekno]

When I become an engineer, I want to design innovative aircraft in the desert too :'D

PS. The nose skid is always fun to see touch down. Anyone know what material the nose skid is made of? :P

[memonk11]

If I ever win the lottery, this is first on my list!

[chrisjeffsmusic]

dude at 3:13 sounds like Bill Clinton

[lcdrugo]

@chrisjeffsmusic That's Burt Rutan. He's the legendary designer who built SpaceShipOne and Two. He's from Oregon.

[cashmab]

@chrisjeffsmusic That would be Burt Rutan, one of the few true geniuses of our time -- basically in the same league as Einstein.

[mordoringer]

@chrisjeffsmusic :D "dude" at 3:13 is Burt Rutan, the guy who designed the spaceship and the white knight...

[luketorpedo]

@chrisjeffsmusic

I'd say dude at 3:13 sounds like Burt Rutan.

[cnknguyen]

I like how the pilot was nearly knocked out by the water bucket...good vid.

[jungmannfabian]

was it just me or is the sound a bit too late compared to the video?

[AllanVictoriaA]

@jungmannfabian I am guessing that was a chase plane.

[jungmannfabian]

@AllanVictoriaA I don't mean it like that. Listen to the interview with Sir Richard Branson - when I play the video the sound comes before he speaks if you know what I mean.

[FranticMydlo]

Stick middle east peace process leaders on a suborbital flight. Then have them sit at a table. A tool to humble all men.

[librano]

exciting times!

[EICASActivitee]

Second o_O!!!!