11/28/2023 0 Comments Shuttle launch from planeSpaceplanes had a lot of military potential, as they allowed not only rapid deployment and retrieval of satellites, but could function as genuine orbital bombers. The Soviet space plane building efforts were kick-started in the early 1960s, after their intelligence revealed the American plans to build the Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar, which would have become the first reusable space vehicle. It was developed under the project called Multipurpose Aerospace System (MAKS), and if its designers could really do everything they promised, it had somewhat of a potential to revolutionize space travel. The spaceplane intended for it often gets undeservedly overlooked. It could also act as an aerial launch platform. But that was not the only space-related function the behemoth of the skies was intended to perform. Many know about its primary purpose – the airplane was originally designed to transport the Buran, the Soviet space shuttle. Blue Origin has not yet announced when it plans to resume flights.Everybody knows and loves the Antonov An-225 Mriya, the world’s heaviest and arguably largest aircraft. Virgin Galactic's next flight is planned for October. Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, which has launched six sub-orbital flights with 32 passengers using its more traditional New Shepard rocket and capsule, is currently in a stand-down while resolving a booster problem that occurred during an unpiloted microgravity research flight last September. Overall, Virgin Galactic has launched 37 company employees and commercial passengers in Unity's eight flights to date. A second commercial launch carried three space tourists up on Aug. The first such flight was launched on June 29, carrying three Italian air force researchers aloft for microgravity research. It was Unity's eighth piloted flight above an altitude of 50 miles - the somewhat arbitrary "boundary" of space recognized by NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration - and Virgin's third fully commercial flight in a row with paying customers aboard. My turn is finally here." During about three minutes of weightlessness, the Unity spaceplane's six-member crew, including three men who bought their tickets nearly 20 years ago, float about the cabin.Ī short video clip posted on Virgin's X feed showed Baxter and company floating about the cabin near the top of the trajectory, clearly elated with the experience of weightlessness and the view of Earth below.Īs it began descending, Unity's two swept-back wings rotated upward, or "feathered," earlier, worked as designed to orient the spacecraft, increase atmospheric drag and reduce the "loads" acting on the ship during re-entry.īack in the lower atmosphere, the wings were rotated back down parallel with the fuselage and the pilots guided the spaceplane, now flying as a glider, to touchdown on Spaceport America's 12,000-foot-long runway. The opportunity to realize my lifelong ambition to experience the spectacular view from space was something I could not resist. "As Sir Richard shared his vision, my childhood obsession with outer space and rockets was suddenly rekindled. "Nearly 20 years have past since that day in October of 2004 when I watched an episode of '60 Minutes' where Sir Richard Branson at Virgin Atlantic shared his vision for making the wonder of space travel available for the average Joe," Baxter wrote. Baxter's website said he bought the very first ticket to fly on Virgin's spaceplane back in 2004.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |