SpaceShipTwo Flies With Crew Aboard for First Time

The first "captive carry" and flight of VSS Enterprise or SpaceShip II over Mojave, California Monday March 22,2010. The center mounted spaceship is attached to the "mothership" WhiteKnight II for a series of flight tests prior to its first drop test later in the year.

SpaceShipTwo made its first flight with a crew aboard yesterday. The space plane stayed attached to the WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft throughout the 6-hour flight. The flight summary published on the Scaled Composites website states:

Pilots in SS2 evaluated the systems and procedures for the upcoming glide flights. A simulated SS2 mission was flown from release down to low approach. Performed low approach then full stop on Runway 30.

Objectives:

SS2 manned captive carry
Mated flutter evaluation
SS2 systems evaluation
SS2 mission rehearsal

Results:

Objectives achieved. Pilots in SS2 evaluated the systems and procedures for the upcoming glide flights. A simulated SS2 mission was flown from release down to low approach. Performed low approach then full stop on Runway 30.