virgin galactic

12 REINFORCEDplastics September 2005 Vir gin Galactic will fly you to the stars ENTREPRENEUR Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group of Companies, UK, and Burt Rutan, president of Scaled Composites, Mojave, Califor- nia, USA, have signed an agreement to form a new company to build a fleet of commercial sub-orbital spaceships and launch aircraft. The Spaceship Company will own the designs of the new SpaceShipTwo (SS2) and White Knight Two (WK2) launch systems now in development at Scaled Composites. SpaceShipOne won the US$10 million Ansari X-Prize last October ( Reinforced Plastics, November 2004, page 5), becoming the first privately- owned and built spaceship able to carry three people to 100 km (62.5 miles), return safely to Earth, and repeats the launch with the same ship within two weeks. Scaled Composites manufactured many of the ship’s composite components. The SS2/WK2 system will use the ‘Care-free reentry’ and the ‘cantilevered-hybrid’ rocket motor technology developed for SpaceShipOne (SS1), and will license that technology from Paul Allen’s Mojave Aero- space company. The Spaceship Company will manufacture the new launch aircraft, spaceships and support equipment and market them to spaceline operators, including the launch customer, Virgin Galac- tic, Branson’s commercial space tourism venture. Virgin Galactic has ordered five SS2s and two WK2s, with options on further systems, thus securing the exclusive use of the systems for the initial 18 months of commercial passen- ger operations. The Spaceship Company will be jointly owned by Virgin and Scaled, and will contract Scaled for the research, development, testing and certificat- ion of SS2/WK2. Rutan will head the technical development team. In 2001, Paul Allen contrac- ted Scaled for the research and development of the SS1 system, to fulfill his vision of flying the world’s first privately-developed, reusable space vehicle. On 21 June 2004 SS1 flew above 100 km altitude. On 27 September, Virgin launched Virgin Galactic as the world’s first commercial space tourism operator. Virgin Galactic was a sponsor for the two successful X-prize flights on 4 October . Virgin Galactic; website: www.virgingalactic.com ; Scale d Composites; e-mail: info@scaled. com ; website: www.scaled.com.

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Virgin Galactic

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12 REINFORCEDplastics September 2005

Virgin Galactic will fly you to the starsENTREPRENEUR Sir RichardBranson, founder of the VirginGroup of Companies, UK, andBurt Rutan, president of ScaledComposites, Mojave, Califor-nia, USA, have signed anagreement to form a newcompany to build a fleet of

commercial sub-orbital space-ships and launch aircraft. TheSpaceship Company will ownthe designs of the newSpaceShipTwo (SS2) and WhiteKnight Two (WK2) launchsystems now in development atScaled Composites.

SpaceShipOne won theUS$10 million Ansari X-Prizelast October (Reinforced Plastics,November 2004, page 5),becoming the first privately-owned and built spaceship ableto carry three people to 100 km(62.5 miles), return safely to

Earth, and repeats the launchwith the same ship within twoweeks. Scaled Compositesmanufactured many of theships composite components.

The SS2/WK2 system willuse the Care-free reentry andthe cantilevered-hybrid rocketmotor technology developedfor SpaceShipOne (SS1), andwill license that technologyfrom Paul Allens Mojave Aero-space company. The SpaceshipCompany will manufacture thenew launch aircraft, spaceshipsand support equipment andmarket them to spacelineoperators, including thelaunch customer, Virgin Galac-tic, Bransons commercialspace tourism venture.

Virgin Galactic has orderedfive SS2s and two WK2s, withoptions on further systems,thus securing the exclusive useof the systems for the initial 18months of commercial passen-ger operations.

The Spaceship Companywill be jointly owned by Virginand Scaled, and will contractScaled for the research, deve-lopment, testing and certificat-ion of SS2/WK2. Rutan willhead the technical develop-ment team.

In 2001, Paul Allen contrac-ted Scaled for the research anddevelopment of the SS1system, to fulfill his vision offlying the worlds first priv-ately-developed, reusable spacevehicle. On 21 June 2004 SS1flew above 100 km altitude. On27 September, Virgin launchedVirgin Galactic as the worldsfirst commercial space tourismoperator. Virgin Galactic was asponsor for the two successfulX-prize flights on 4 October.

Virgin Galactic; website:www.virgingalactic.com; ScaledComposites; e-mail: [email protected]; website: www.scaled.com.

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