Scaled Composites WhiteKnightTwo

infobox Aircraft
name = WhiteKnightTwo
type = Carrier aircraft
manufacturer = Scaled Composites



caption = Conceptual image of "White Knight Two" carrying "SpaceShipTwo".
first flight =

The Scaled Composites Model 348 WhiteKnightTwo (WK2) is a jet-powered carrier aircraft which will be used to launch the SpaceShipTwo spacecraft. It was developed by Scaled Composites as the first stage of Tier 1b, a two-stage to suborbital-space manned launch system. WK2 is based on the successful mothership to SpaceShipOne, White Knight, which itself is based on Proteus.

Virgin Galactic has ordered two WK2's. [cite web |url=http://www.space.com/news/080123-virgingalactic-ss2-design.html |title=Virgin Galactic Unveils Suborbital Spaceliner Design |accessdate=2008-01-25 |date=2008-01-23 |first=Tariq |last=Malik |publisher="SPACE.com"] Together WK2 and SS2 form the basis for Virgin Galactic's fleet of suborbital spaceplanes.

The first WK2 is named VMS "Eve" after Richard Branson's mother, and was officially unveiled on July 28, 2008. The second is expected to be named VMS "Spirit of Steve Fossett" after Branson's close friend Steve Fossett. [cite web |first=Ari |last=Burack |url=http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=5903 |title=Sir Richard Branson... |accessdate=2008-02-28 |publisher="San Francisco Sentinel" |date=10 October 2007] [cite web |url=http://newsfromrussia.com/news/science/23-01-2008/103605-spacecraft-0 |title=Spaceship Company unveils design of SpaceShipTwo |accessdate=2008-01-25 |date=2008-01-23 |publisher="Pravda Online"]

Design

WhiteKnightTwo is roughly three times larger than White Knight, in order to perform a captive carry with the larger SpaceShipTwo spacecraft. The WK2 is similar in wingspan to a B-29 Superfortress. [cite web |url=http://www.thespacereview.com/article/943/1 |title=Something dangerous and new |accessdate=2007-08-28 |date=August 28, 2007 |publisher=thespacereview.com] Despite that comparison, White Knight Two is a thoroughly modern aircraft - even the flight control cables are constructed of carbon fibre, using a new patented design. [ [http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/080606-virgin-mother.html David, Leonard. "Virgin Galactic Spaceline: Mega-Mothership Set for Rollout Debut". Space.com June 6, 2008] ]

WK2 is intended to be an aerobatic aircraft, and will provide preview flights offering several seconds of weightlessness, before the actual suborbital event. It is intended to have a service ceiling of about 60,000 ft (18 km), offering a dark blue sky to passengers. This will allow tourists to practice before the real flight. [cite web |url=http://www.space.com/news/060811_rutan_interview.html |title=Burt Rutan on Civilian Spaceflight, Breakthroughs, and Inside SpaceShipTwo |accessdate=2007-08-25 |date=11 August 2006 |author=Leonard David |publisher=Space.com ]

WhiteKnightTwo consists of a twin boom with two jet engines per hull. [cite book |author=Kenny Kemp |title=Destination Space |month=March | year=2007 |publisher=Virgin Books ] One hull is an exact replica of that of SpaceShipTwo (to allow tourist training), and the other will carry cut-rate day-trippers into the stratosphere. [cite web |url=http://www.wired.com/science/space/magazine/15-06/ff_space_virgin |title=Burt Rutan and Richard Branson Want You to Hit Space in High Style |accessdate=2007-08-25 |date=May 22, 2007 |author= Spencer Reiss |publisher=Wired.com ]

The design is quite different from the White Knight, both in size, use of tail, engine configuration and placement of cockpit(s). The White Knight uses two T-tails, but the WhiteKnightTwo uses two cruciform tails. Engine configuration is also very different, with engines hung underneath the wings on the White Knight Two as opposed to engines on either side of the sole cockpit on the White Knight.

Historical similarity of design

It has been suggested that the final design of WK2 resembles a 1979 Soviet spacecraft designated "3M-2". A twin-boom, four-engined aircraft would have carried a spaceplane under its middle wing and released it at high altitude. The design was developed by the Soviet Myasishchev Experimental Design Bureau around 1979. The carrier aircraft would have been based on the Soviet 3M bomber, and like White Knight Two, it could have been used in other ways, not just for carrying the spacecraft. However, at an engineering level the resemblance between the two craft is not strong and may simply be a case of similar requirements leading to similar designs. [cite web |url=http://www.livescience.com/blogs/2008/01/25/space-ship-two-eerily-familiar%e2%80%a6/ |title=Space Ship Two: Eerily Familiar… |accessdate=2008-01-26 |date=2008-01-25 |author=Dave Brody |publisher=Live Science ]

Commercial introduction

The WhiteKnightTwo design was revealed on January 23, 2008. Completion and rollout of the first aircraft, "Eve", (Tail Number: N348MS [cite web |url=http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNumSQL.asp?NNumbertxt=348MS |title=FAA N Number Registration for "Eve" |accessdate=2008-07-28] ) occurred on July 28, 2008, with flight tests planned to begin in early September 2008. [cite web |url=http://www.airventure.org/2008/news/080605_ss2.html |title=2008 AirVenture Oshkosh schedule |accessdate=2008-07-19] [cite web |url=http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/080606-virgin-mother.html |title=Virgin Galactic Spaceline: Mega-Mothership Set for Rollout Debut |accessdate=2008-06-10 |date=June 6, 2008 |author=Leonard David |publisher=SPACE.com] The initial test flights have been delayedbeyond September, but they are expected well before the end of 2008. [cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/09/30/316547/virgin-galactics-whiteknighttwo-first-flight-delayed-to-years-end.html |title=Virgin Galactic's WhiteKnightTwo first flight delayed to year's end |accessdate=2008-10-07]

The launch customer of WhiteKnightTwo is Virgin Galactic, which will have the first two units, and exclusive rights to the craft for the first few years.

On July 28, 2008, Branson unveiled the first WK2, named VMS "Eve", at Scaled's Mojave headquarters. Branson predicted that the maiden space voyage will take place in 18 months: "It represents... the chance for our ever-growing group of future astronauts and other scientists to see our world in a completely new light." Virgin Galactic contracted aerospace designer Burt Rutan to build the mothership and spacecraft. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7529978.stm bbc.co.uk, Branson unveils space tourism jet] ] [ [http://space.newscientist.com/article/dn14419-virgin-galactic-rolls-out-spaceshiptwos-mothership.html?DCMP=ILC-hmts&nsref=tech3_head_Virgin%20Galactic%20rolls%20out%20SpaceShipTwo's%20'mothership' space.newscientist.com, Virgin Galactic rolls out SpaceShipTwo's 'mothership'] ]

Aircraft specifications

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=jet
ref= [cite web |url=http://www.pwc.ca/en/0_0/0_0_8/0_0_8_1_1_1.asp?id_news=454 |title=Pratt & Whitney Canada PW308 Engine to Power Virgin Galactic's Suborbital Spaceship Launcher |accessdate=2007-08-25 |date=11 July 2007 |publisher=Pratt & Whitney Canada ] [cite web |url=http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1119231942&channel=627008079 |title=Virgin Galactic presentation Oshkosh Theater in the Woods 2007 |accessdate=2007-09-22 |date=22 July 2007 | author= Will Whitehorn and Alex Tai |publisher=BrightCove.TV ]
crew=
capacity=
payload main= 30,500 kg
payload alt= 30 tons
length main=24 m
length alt=79 ft
span main=43 m
span alt=141 ft
height main=
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airfoil=
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useful load main=
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max takeoff weight main=
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more general=
engine (jet)= Pratt & Whitney Canada PW308
type of jet= turbofan
number of jets= 4
thrust main=
thrust alt=
thrust original=
afterburning thrust main=
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max speed main=
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never exceed speed main=
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range main=
range alt=
ceiling main= 18 km
ceiling alt= 60,000 ft
climb rate main=
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loading main=
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thrust/weight=
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more performance=
armament=
avionics=

References

External links

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7530070.stm BBC - In pictures: Space tourism jet]
* [http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/virgin-galatic-space-2379/ Photos of Virgin Galactic’s White Knight Two unveiling]

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