Testing SpaceShipTwo

Test flights of Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo continue to progress smoothly, systematically expanding the envelope within which the suborbital spacecraft has successfully flown. June 14 and 15 saw test flights on consecutive days-- an important demonstration for a system that will have to fly regularly once operational to be commercially viable.

VG plans to continue the test flight program the rest of this year, adding powered flights of SpaceShipTwo perhaps by October. So far, all test flights have been glides, checking out systems and flight characteristics. The flight program will slow in July, allowing engineers of Scaled Composites, builder of the craft, to thoroughly analyze the data collected up to that point.