World’s first spaceliner makes test flight

BBC : Yesterday Virgin Galactic conducted the first test flight of its SpaceShipTwo spaceplane, a commercial craft designed for space tourism. The company launched the craft at 7:00am from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California. Slung underneath Virgin Galactic’s WhiteKnightTwo cargo carrier spacecraft, SpaceShipTwo was released at a launch altitude of 14 km, then it dropped a short distance and fired up its engine. The plane’s two pilots flew the craft for 16 seconds at Mach 1.2. Future flights are planned, which will be of longer duration and reach heights exceeding 100 km. Although more than 500 people have already booked a flight on the new craft, when it will be ready for commercial service remains unknown.