VSS Enterprise

"Enterprise (Virgin Galactic)" redirects here. For the enterprise named Virgin Galactic, see Virgin Galactic.
Not to be confused with USS Enterprise.

VSS Enterprise (N339SS)
VSS Enterprise, the first SpaceShipTwo spaceplane, attached to its carrier aircraft WhiteKnightTwo VMS Eve
General information
TypeScaled Composites Model 339 SpaceShipTwo
ManufacturerScaled Composites
StatusDestroyed
OwnersVirgin Galactic
Construction number1
RegistrationN339SS
History
First flight10 October 2010 (crewed gliding flight) 29 April 2013 (powered flight)
FateCrashed
31 October 2014

VSS Enterprise (tail number: N339SS[1]) was the first SpaceShipTwo (SS2) spaceplane, built by Scaled Composites for Virgin Galactic. As of 2004, it was planned to be the first of five commercial suborbital SS2 spacecraft planned by Virgin Galactic.[2][3][needs update]

It was also the first ship of the Scaled Composites Model 339 SpaceShipTwo class, based on upscaling the design of record-breaking SpaceShipOne.

The VSS Enterprise's name was an acknowledgement of the USS Enterprise from the Star Trek television series.[4] The spaceplane also shared its name with NASA's prototype Space Shuttle orbiter, as well as the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. It was rolled out on 7 December 2009.[5]

SpaceShipTwo made its first powered flight in April 2013. Richard Branson said it "couldn't have gone more smoothly".[6]

Enterprise was destroyed during a powered test flight on 31 October 2014, killing one pilot, Michael Alsbury, and seriously injuring another, Peter Siebold.[7] This was the first spacecraft-related accident in which part, but not all, of the crew survived. An investigation revealed the accident was caused by premature deployment of the "feathering" system, the ship's descent device; the NTSB also faulted the spacecraft's design for lacking fail-safe mechanisms that could have deterred or prevented early deployment.[8][9][10]

  1. ^ "FAA N Number Registration for "VSS Enterprise"". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2008.
  2. ^ "Virgin Galactic to Offer Public Space Flights". Space.com. Associated Press. 27 September 2004. Retrieved 12 August 2008.
  3. ^ "Scaled Composites PROJECTS". Scaled.com. Archived from the original on 28 June 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
  4. ^ "SpaceShipTwo". SpaceTourism.ws. Archived from the original on 17 October 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2008.
  5. ^ "SpaceShipTwo Roll Out". Virgingalactic.com. 8 December 2009. Archived from the original on 13 December 2009.
  6. ^ "SpaceShipTwo makes first powered flight". 3 News NZ. 30 April 2013. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  7. ^ Clark, Stephen (31 October 2014). "Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo rocket plane crashes on test flight". SpaceflightNow. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  8. ^ Chang, Kenneth (3 November 2014). "Investigators Focus on Tail Booms in Crash of Space Plane". New York Times. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  9. ^ Melley, Brian (3 November 2014). "Spaceship's descent device deployed prematurely". AP News. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  10. ^ "Lack of Consideration for Human Factors Led to In-Flight Breakup of SpaceShipTwo". NTSB. 28 July 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.