The second successful flight test spacecraft

Virgin Galatic's SpaceshipTwo commercial spacecraft (USA) flew on its own for the second time on a recent test flight. This success was significant before the first commercial flight of SpaceshipTwo spacecraft this year.

SpaceShipTwo commercial spacecraft of the company Virgin Galactic. Photo: AP

On the latest test in the Mojave desert in California on May 4, the spaceshipTwo commercial spacecraft did not use a self-propelled rocket to fly into the air, but was lifted by a transport plane to a height of 15. , 8 km, nearly 2 km higher than the latest flight test in October 2010.

After reaching a height of nearly 16 km , SpaceshipTwo separated from transport aircraft and flew at a speed of 4.7km / min vertically down to the ground within 11 minutes before landing safely at the station. Air Mojave space.

To reduce the speed of vertical plunge, SpaceShipTwo commercial spacecraft uses folding wing system - similar to the speed reduction mechanism of badminton. The spacecraft is also equipped with two missiles in the tail that prevent it from being shocked to return to Earth's atmosphere from the weightless state in the universe.

Will Pomerantz, vice president of Virgin Galactic company, was very pleased with this test: ' We were a little worried before the experiment took place, but SpaceShipTwo did a great job after getting off the transport plane. ' .

The SpaceShipTwo commercial spacecraft is developed based on the SpaceShipOne design of the spacecraft by American aeronautical engineer Burt Rutan . SpaceShipTwo has been modified to overcome the phenomenon of being heated outside after entering space from Earth's atmosphere.

It is expected that the SpaceShipTwo commercial flight itself into space by rocket will be conducted at a space station in the state of New Mexico (USA) later this year, but the specific date has not been revealed. Even so, there are about 410 customers depositing 200,000 USD / person to enjoy the feeling of weightlessness in a few minutes.