SpaceShipTwo / White Knight 2

ddmicrolog a écrit:

grysor a écrit:y a un problème avec la video elle ne démarre pas :?: :!: :!: :!:
il faut clicquer sur le lien en dessous et là ça marche

Il faut cliquer sur le bouton play à droite de l'écran noir (pour sélectionner le film à voir), le lecteur est différent de ceux qu'on a l'habitude actuellement.

26.04.2009 / TO PODIUM AND BEYOND!

VIRGIN GALACTIC BLASTS INTO FORMULA 1.
On the 26th April 2009, Virgin Galactic not only became the first spaceline ever to sponsor a Formula 1 Grand Prix car, but also became the first Spaceline to sponsor a Formula 1 winner! The spectacular double whammy was witnesed by Sir Richard Branson in the searing heat of the Bahrain 2009 Grand Prix as UK’s Jenson Button notched up his 3rd win of the season in the Virgin Galactic branded Brawn GP car. Earlier, racing legend Nikki Lauda and Button’s team mate Reubens Barraccheli had both announced that they had bought tickets to ride on Virgin Galactic spaceships.

We are all delighted that Formula 1 as well as Space, now appears to be “Virgin Territory”

It was particularly appropriate that the Galactic logo should be on the Brawn GP car as Ross Brawn, the celebrated engineer owner of the team, is to Formula One and motorsprort engineering what Burt Rutan is to aviation design and materials technology development in aerospace. They are both inspirational in their use of new and efficient materials technologies of the future which have the capacity to dramatically lower the environmental and energy footprints of both air and road transport.




25.04.2009 / VIRGIN GALACTIC SPONSORS F1

VIRGIN GALACTIC SPONSORS BRAWN GP TEAM CARS FOR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX
Bahrain

STATEMENT BY SIR RICHARD BRANSON

“We are delighted that this weekend’s sponsor of the Brawn GP team cars is Virgin Galactic…two flagship technology projects coming together in Bahrain for what promises to be the most exciting race of an already breathtaking season. Virgin Galactic is the leading technology project for the Virgin brand, developing a space launch system fit for the 21st century. The principles on which we are operating are based on establishing environmentally benign space launch using the very latest carbon composite materials combined with new techniques and technologies such as air launch, hybrid rocket motors and sustainable fuels, all of which will dramatically lower the energy and cost requirements for access to space. Transforming the safety, economics and environmental impact of space launch will in turn allow the next generation of private individuals, scientists and satellite technologies to reap the enormous and essential benefits that space offers us here on earth - literally making Space for Earth.

Virgin Galactic is using revolutionary but proven technology and is on the final stretch of its development phase before we launch the commercial operation. Our new carrier aircraft Virgin Mothership Eve, the world’s largest and most fuel efficient all composite aviation vehicle, is now well into its test flight programme and is performing beautifully. It will be carrying and launching SpaceShipTwo later this year.

We have established and proven without doubt that our first market �" space tourism �" is a large and vibrant one which will in itself make this business a commercial success. We now have around 300 future astronauts from over 40 countries including several from the Gulf States. However we have not yet signed up Bahrain’s very first astronaut, although judging by the interest I’ve seen in the past 24 hours, I have a feeling we will done that by the end of the Grand Prix on Sunday!

Construction of our future US Headquarters at Spaceport America in New Mexico, designed by Lord Foster, is now underway and will provide a base from which we can extend our spaceflight operation to locations around the world �"perhaps following a similar model to that which has been so successfully developed by Formula One. We have been convinced for some time that, with the right regulatory clearances, the Middle East offers exactly the right criteria for Virgin Galactic space launches, not just for space tourism but for science research and small satellite launch. I am pleased to say that we are in discussions with a small number of investor groups in the Gulf, interested in bringing manned space flight, space based scientific projects and a transformational satellite launch system to the region.

Our space launch system designer is Burt Rutan, who is to aviation what Ross Brawn is to Formula One….they are both brilliant engineers using new materials technologies and cutting edge ideas to change the face of their respective industries forever. That’s the reason Virgin has backed Burt to build Virgin Galactic’s revolutionary spaceship and it is the reason we are backing Ross Brawn to create one of the greatest teams in Formula One. The world is in a race to find technology solutions before the pressures of population and planet overtake our ability to achieve what history tells us we are capable of and it is people like Burt Rutan and Ross Brawn who must be supported in making change happen. That is why we are particularly delighted to see the Virgin Galactic logo on the Brawn GP cars this weekend.”

Tourisme spatial : Richard Branson étudie la construction d'un pas de tir dans le Golfe
Le patron du groupe Virgin était à Bahreïn pour le Grand Prix de Formule 1 ce week-end. Virgin est en effet sponsor de l'écurie Brawn qui a remporté la course, avec Button au volant. Depuis les stands, Branson a confirmé son intention de construire un pas de tir dans la région d'où partiraient les vols suborbitaux de Virgin Galactic. Ils promettent quelques minutes d'apesanteur pour 150 000 € par passager. Branson songe à Bahreïn pour finaliser son projet, mais hésite encore avec l'Arabie saoudite, Qatar, Abu Dhabi et Dubaï. Le premier spaceport de Virgin Galactic est en cours de construction dans le désert du Nouveau-Mexique.

DeepField a écrit:Virgin Galactic prévoit de construire son troisième spatioport (après ceux du Nouveau-Mexique et de Suède) dans un des pays du golfe persique.

Tourisme spatial : Richard Branson étudie la construction d'un pas de tir dans le Golfe
Le patron du groupe Virgin était à Bahreïn pour le Grand Prix de Formule 1 ce week-end. Virgin est en effet sponsor de l'écurie Brawn qui a remporté la course, avec Button au volant. Depuis les stands, Branson a confirmé son intention de construire un pas de tir dans la région d'où partiraient les vols suborbitaux de Virgin Galactic. Ils promettent quelques minutes d'apesanteur pour 150 000 € par passager. Branson songe à Bahreïn pour finaliser son projet, mais hésite encore avec l'Arabie saoudite, Qatar, Abu Dhabi et Dubaï. Le premier spaceport de Virgin Galactic est en cours de construction dans le désert du Nouveau-Mexique.

Source : lefigaro.fr

el_slapper a écrit:le système de l'avion porteur a l'air plein de promesses pour le vol sub-orbital. Mais est-il envisageable pour de l'orbital? Ou bien existe-t-il des limites techniques/physiques/mécaniques qui empêchent d'aller jusque là?

SUCCESSFUL SPACESHIPTWO ROCKET MOTOR TESTING
Virgin Galactic today announces the successful completion of the first phase of tests of the rocket motor that will propel space tourists, scientists and payloads into space.

In the desert of southern California, Virgin Galactic's key supplier Scaled Composites and its subcontractor SNC (Sierra Nevada Corporation) have successfully completed the first tests of the innovative rocket motor that will propel space tourists, scientists and payloads into space. The hybrid Nitrous Oxide system being used is the largest of its kind in the world and it will send Virgin's customers up into sub-orbital space at speeds over 2500 mph (4000kmh), to heights over 65 miles (110km) above the Earth’s surface, before the spaceship descends back down through the atmosphere using its pioneering feathered re-entry system.

Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Galactic said: “As Virgin Galactic gets ever closer to the start of commercial operations, we are reaching and passing many important and historic milestones. The Virgin MotherShip (VMS) Eve, the first of our amazing, all carbon composite, high altitude WhiteKnightTwo launch vehicles, is flying superbly. SpaceShipTwo, which will air launch from Eve, is largely constructed and awaiting the start of its own test flight programme later this year.”

The rocket motor burns for a very short period of time because the spaceship is launched from VMS Eve in the upper atmosphere, rather than from ground level. This means much less fuel is required, and the fuel burn is more environmentally benign than the solid rockets used in most ground based systems.

While the rocket motor is extremely powerful, it is also completely controllable. This system can - if necessary - be shut down at any time, allowing the spaceship to glide back down to land at a conventional runway. This is a significant feature in the overall safety of the Virgin system for human space flight.

Sir Richard continues: “Less fuel and clean fuel all add up to a space launch system which will be completely unprecedented in its low environmental impact compared with current space flight. The spaceship’s carbon footprint for each of its passengers and crew will be about a quarter of that for a return trip from London to New York, demonstrating again the extraordinary benefits that new technology can bring to the quest for clean transportation.” “We believe space is on the cusp of a new industrial revolution. Virgin Galactic’s mission has always been to transform the safety, cost and environmental impact of access to space. Not just for passengers, but also for a range of important scientific purposes, and to send small satellites into orbit. The world’s scientific community is united in recognising that making better use of space will be vital to mankind’s ability to manage the huge future challenges of life back here on Earth.”

The rocket motor will continue a series of exhaustive tests, and the spaceship itself will start flight testing later this year. The testing programme for the rocket, the spaceship and VMS Eve will be extensive.

Source : virgingalactic.com

patchfree a écrit:On peut créer des systèmes pour des lancements assez lourds. Le projet "Air-launch" russo-ukrainien propose un système permettant de mettre sur orbite basse près de 5 T, 1500 kgs en orbite d etransfère et 650 kgs en orbite géostationnaire.
...
Le système utiliserait un avion An-124 et une fusée de 100T.
...

spacemen1969 a écrit:Le 19 juin aura lieu une cérémonie spéciale en vue de la pose de la première pierre du premier SpacePort à Sierra County dans le Nouveau-Mexique

http://www.spaceportamerica.com/groundbreaking (programme très précis / attention à ceux qui seront en retard, le timing compte beaucoup :megalol: )

Une tentative de survol du site par White Knight Two sera effectué (tout dépend des conditions météo)

grysor a écrit:

spacemen1969 a écrit:Une tentative de survol du site par White Knight Two sera effectué (tout dépend des conditions météo)

y aura t'il un lien internet pour voir tous cela :?: :?: :?: