Tuesday, March 23, 2010

VMS Eve and VSS Enterprise lift off on their first captive carry flight in California on March 22, 2010. PHOTOS OF THE DAY... Yesterday, Scaled Composites’ White Knight II (a.k.a. VMS Eve) and SpaceShipTwo (a.k.a. VSS Enterprise) took off on their very first "captive carry" flight from an airfield in California’s Mojave Desert. This 2-hour, 54-minute flight started what is scheduled to be a year-long series of airborne tests for the private spaceliner. If things go well, SpaceShipTwo will begin suborbital flights into space in 2011...and the vehicle should begin ferrying paying customers 68 miles above Earth later that year, or early 2012. If I was one of those 300+ lucky SOBs who already shelled out $200,000 to ride onboard the Enterprise, I’d totally be more ecstatic. But I didn't, so I won't. But these vehicles sure are cool. A close-up of VSS Enterprise attached underneath its mothership. The VMS Eve and VSS Enterprise in the wild blue yonder. The VMS Eve and VSS Enterprise soar above California's Mojave Desert. The VMS Eve and VSS Enterprise about to land at Mojave Air and Spaceport in California. All images courtesy of Virgin Galactic / Scaled Composites

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