Editing SpaceShipTwo (section)

{{Short description|Former suborbital spaceplane for space tourism}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox spacecraft class
| name                 = SpaceShipTwo
| image                = Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo "Unity" rollout 19Feb2016, FAITH hangar, Mojave, California.jpg
| image_size           = 300px
| image_alt            = Picture of the SpaceShipTwo VSS ''Unity'' at the unveiling event in Mojave, California
| image_caption        = SpaceShipTwo VSS ''Unity'' in the Virgin Galactic Final Assembly Integration Test Hangar
| manufacturer         = [[Scaled Composites]]<br />([[VSS Enterprise|VSS ''Enterprise'']])<br />[[The Spaceship Company]]<br />([[VSS Unity|VSS ''Unity'']])
| country              = [[United States]]
| operator             = [[Virgin Galactic]]
| applications         = [[Sub-orbital spaceflight|Suborbital]] [[space tourism]]

<!--Specifications-->
| spacecraft_type      = Crewed [[spaceplane]]
| launch_mass          = {{cvt|13154|kg}}
| dry_mass             = {{cvt|6123|kg|sigfig=3}}
| crew_capacity        = 8 (planned); 6 (actual)
| volume               = {{cvt|14|m3|sigfig=1}} pressurized
| orbits               = Suborbital

<!--Dimensions-->
| length               = {{cvt|18.3|m}}
| height               = {{cvt|5.5|m}}
| width                = {{cvt|8.3|m}}

<!----Payloads---->
|capacities            = 
  {{Infobox rocket/payload
  |location            = Suborbital
  |kilos               = {{cvt|600|kg}}
  }}

<!--Production-->
| status               = Retired
| built                = 2
| retired              = 1 (VSS ''Unity'')
| lost                 = 1 ([[VSS Enterprise crash|VSS ''Enterprise'']])
| maidenlaunch         = 10 October 2010 (glide flight)<br />29 April 2013 (powered flight)<br />13 December 2018 (spaceflight)
| lastlaunch           = 8 June 2024

<!--Engine details-->
| stagedata           = 
{{Infobox rocket/stage
| name                 = Engine details
| engines              = 1 [[RocketMotorTwo]] engine
| thrust               = {{cvt|310|kN}}
| SI                   = 250 s
| fuel                 = [[Nitrous oxide]] / [[Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene]]
}}

<!--Related spacecraft-->
| derivedfrom          = [[SpaceShipOne]]
| derivatives          = [[SpaceShip III]]
}}

The '''Scaled Composites Model 339 SpaceShipTwo''' ('''SS2''') was an air-launched [[Sub-orbital spaceflight|suborbital]] [[spaceplane]] type designed for [[space tourism]]. It was manufactured by [[The Spaceship Company]], a [[California]]-based company owned by [[Virgin Galactic]].

SpaceShipTwo was carried to its launch altitude by a [[Scaled Composites White Knight Two]], before being released to fly on into the upper atmosphere powered by its [[rocket engine]]. It then glided back to [[Earth]] and performed a conventional runway landing.<ref name=nasa20110310>{{cite web |title=sRLV platforms compared |url=https://c3.ndc.nasa.gov/flightopportunities/platforms/compare/ |publisher=NASA |access-date=10 March 2011 |date=7 March 2011 |quote=SpaceShipTwo: Type: HTHL/Piloted |archive-date=20 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220015430/https://flightopportunities.nasa.gov/technologies/ |url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> The spaceship was officially unveiled to the public on 7 December 2009 at the [[Mojave Air and Space Port]] in California.<ref>{{cite news |last=Amos |first=Jonathan |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8400353.stm |title=Richard Branson unveils Virgin Galactic spaceplane |publisher=BBC News |date=8 December 2009 |access-date=23 March 2010 }}</ref> On 29 April 2013, after nearly three years of unpowered testing, the first SS2 constructed successfully performed its first powered test flight.<ref name=EnginesIgnited>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22344398 |title=Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic spaceship ignites engine in flight |publisher=BBC News |date=29 April 2013 |access-date=29 April 2013 }}</ref>

Virgin Galactic planned to operate a fleet of five SpaceShipTwo spaceplanes in a [[private spaceflight|private passenger-carrying service]]<ref name=April2013Test>{{cite web |url=http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/2013/4/4/space_ship_completes_24th_test_flight.htm |title=Space Ship Completes 24th Test Flight in Mojave |publisher=Hispanic Business |date=4 April 2013 |access-date=5 April 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230231853/http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/2013/4/4/space_ship_completes_24th_test_flight.htm |archive-date=30 December 2013 }}</ref><ref name=SpaceCom2013>{{cite web|url=http://www.space.com/16057-virgin-galactic-spaceshiptwo-launches-2013.html|title=Virgin Galactic to Launch Passengers on Private Spaceship in 2013|publisher=SPACE.com|date=8 June 2012|access-date=11 June 2012}}</ref><ref name=Start2013>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15460935|title="Virgin Galactic space tourism could begin in 2013"|publisher=BBC News|date=26 October 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/23/science/space/23cnd-spaceship.html?hp|title=New Tourist Spacecraft Unveiled|access-date=23 January 2008|author=John Schwartz |newspaper=The New York Times|date=23 January 2008}}</ref> and took bookings for some time, with a suborbital flight carrying a ticket price of US$250,000 in 2015.<ref>[http://www.virgingalactic.com/human-spaceflight/fly-with-us/ Fly With Us] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151112065252/http://www.virgingalactic.com/human-spaceflight/fly-with-us/|date=12 November 2015}} Virgin Galactic Retrieved 5 November 2015</ref> The spaceplane was also used to carry scientific payloads for NASA and other organizations.<ref name=DoingScience>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20500194|title=Virgin spaceship aims to be science lab|publisher=BBC News|date=4 December 2012|access-date=4 December 2012}}</ref>

On 31 October 2014, during a test flight, the first SpaceShipTwo [[VSS Enterprise|VSS ''Enterprise'']] [[VSS Enterprise crash|broke up in flight and crashed]] in the [[Mojave Desert|Mojave desert]].<ref name="NYT-20141031-KC">{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Kenneth |last2=Schwartz |first2=John |title=Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Crashes in New Setback for Commercial Spaceflight |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/01/science/virgin-galactics-spaceshiptwo-crashes-during-test-flight.html |date=31 October 2014 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=1 November 2014 }}</ref><ref name=sn20141031>{{cite news|last1=Foust|first1=Jeff |title=SpaceShipTwo Destroyed in Fatal Test Flight Accident|url=http://www.spacenews.com/article/launch-report/42391spaceshiptwo-destroyed-in-fatal-test-flight-accident|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141031195325/http://www.spacenews.com/article/launch-report/42391spaceshiptwo-destroyed-in-fatal-test-flight-accident|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 October 2014|access-date=31 October 2014 |publisher=SpaceNews|date=31 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Crashes During Flight Test|website=[[NBC News]]|date=31 October 2014|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/virgin-voyage/virgin-galactics-spaceshiptwo-crashes-during-flight-test-n238376}}</ref><ref name="Durden310Oct14">{{cite news|url=http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Virgin-Galactics-SpaceShipTwo-Crashes223025-1.html|title=Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Crashes|access-date=31 October 2014|last=Durden|first=Rick|date=31 October 2014|publisher=AVweb|archive-date=14 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200414031911/https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Virgin-Galactics-SpaceShipTwo-Crashes223025-1.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> An investigation found that the craft's [[Feathering (reentry)|descent device]] deployed too early.<ref name="NYT-20141103-KC">{{cite news|last=Chang|first=Kenneth|title=Investigators Focus on Tail Booms in Crash of Space Plane |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/04/business/international/virgin-galactic-plane-tail-booms-focus-of-investigation.html|date=3 November 2014|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=3 November 2014}}</ref><ref name="APN-20141103-BM">{{cite news|last=Melley|first=Brian|title=Spaceship's descent device deployed prematurely|url=http://apnews.excite.com/article/20141103/us--space_tourism-e62024cd1f.html|date=3 November 2014|agency=Associated Press|access-date=3 November 2014}}</ref> One pilot, [[Michael Alsbury]], was killed; the other was treated for a serious shoulder injury after parachuting from the stricken spacecraft.<ref name=dn20141103>{{cite news |last1=Klotz |first1=Irene |title=SpaceShipTwo's Rocket Engine Did Not Cause Fatal Crash |url=http://news.discovery.com/space/private-spaceflight/spaceshiptwos-rocket-engine-did-not-cause-fatal-crash-141103.htm |access-date=3 November 2014 |publisher=Discovery News |date=3 November 2014 |archive-date=16 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216114303/http://news.discovery.com/space/private-spaceflight/spaceshiptwos-rocket-engine-did-not-cause-fatal-crash-141103.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="spaceflightnow.com">{{cite web|title=Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo rocket plane crashes|date=31 October 2014|url=http://spaceflightnow.com/2014/10/31/virgin-galactics-spaceshiptwo-suffers-anomaly-during-test-flight/}}</ref>

The second SpaceShipTwo spacecraft, [[VSS Unity|VSS ''Unity'']], was unveiled on 19 February 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/New-SpaceShipTwo-Rollout-Friday-225723-1.html|title=New SpaceShipTwo Rollout Friday|date=18 February 2016|publisher=AVweb|access-date=19 February 2016|archive-date=22 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322112641/http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/New-SpaceShipTwo-Rollout-Friday-225723-1.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/virgin-galactic-new-spaceship-1.3399865|title=Virgin Galactic unveils new space tourism rocket plane|date=19 February 2016|publisher=CBC News|access-date=20 February 2016}}</ref> The vehicle underwent flight testing 2016&ndash;2023.<ref name=csm20161205/><ref name=vg20160310/><ref name="VG20160909">{{cite news|title=Update from Mojave: VSS Unity's First Flight Test Completed - Virgin Galactic|url=http://www.virgingalactic.com/update-from-mojave-vss-unitys-first-flight-test-completed/ |access-date=12 September 2016|website=virgingalactic.com|date=9 September 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160912061403/http://www.virgingalactic.com/update-from-mojave-vss-unitys-first-flight-test-completed/|archive-date=12 September 2016}}</ref> Its first flight to [[Boundary to space|space (above 50 miles altitude)]], [[VSS Unity VP-03|VSS ''Unity'' VP03]], took place on 13 December 2018.<ref name=cnn20181213/><ref name=verge20181213>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/13/18138279/virgin-galactic-vss-unity-spaceshiptwo-space-tourism|first=Lauren|last=Grush |title=Virgin Galactic's spaceplane finally makes it to space for the first time|publisher=The Verge|date=13 December 2018|access-date=13 December 2018}}</ref> The first operational flight of ''Unity'' (defined as the first flight flying passengers that were not Virgin Galactic employees) was [[Galactic 01]] on 29 June 2023. The final flight of ''Unity'' was [[Galactic 07]] on 8 June 2024.