[Update 2: SpaceShipTwo has successfully completed its first glide test, landing at Mojave Air and Space Port shortly after 8 am PDT (11 am EDT) Sunday morning, a little more than 10 minutes after being released by WhiteKnightTwo.]
[Update: the first glide test is indeed taking place Sunday morning; follow along at the Popular Mechanics liveblog, reporting from Mojave.]
The long wait for the first free flight by SpaceShipTwo may nearly be over. Popular Mechanics reported Saturday that, according to its sources, Scaled will perform the first glide test as soon as Sunday morning, taking the aircraft up to an altitude of 15,000 meters (50,000 feet) and then release it. SpaceShipTwo most recently flew a captive carry flight with the WhiteKnightTwo aircraft on September 30th; according to the published test log the flight was a “rehearsal mission” for upcoming glide tests.
- Armadillo’s Level 2 LLC attempt coming soon? [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Decisions, decisions [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Armadillo versus the weather [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Photos from Armadillo’s Saturday flights [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Armadillo Level 2 Flight 1 [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Meanwhile, elsewhere in the LLC race [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Masten gets halfway there [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Xombie photos (finally!) [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Is the media clowning around? [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Galactic Suite “on schedule”? [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Scientist Guest Column: Using Commercial Suborbital Spacecraft for Microgravity Chemistry Research [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Building Spaceport Infrastructure: An Overview of the STIM-Grants Program [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Five Years After SpaceShipOne’s Historic X PRIZE Flight, New Challenges Await [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Masten Space Systems Makes Successful Flights to Qualify for $150K NASA Lunar Lander Prize Level 1 [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Distinguished Former NASA Astronauts Endorse Commercial Spaceflight in Wall Street Journal Op-Ed [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- NASA Chief Praises Commercial Spaceflight, Suborbital Science, & Innovation Prizes in Speech [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- CSF Welcomes Strong Support for Commercial Human Spaceflight in White House Panel’s Report [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Commercial Spaceflight Federation President Bretton Alexander Appointed to the NASA Advisory Council [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- In November 5th Public Ceremony, NASA to Award $1.65 Million In Prizes for Commercial Spaceflight Successes [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- CSF Congratulates Winners of NASA’s $2 Million Lunar Lander Challenge [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Welcome to the NewSpace Journal [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Some things even Virgin can’t control [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- While you’re waiting for the rollout… [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- SpaceShipTwo rollout: initial impressions [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- A couple of pics [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- SpaceShipTwo slideshow [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- The Virgin party’s aftermath [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Investment in Commercial Spaceflight Grows to $1.46 Billion, Updated Industry Study Reveals [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Former Astronaut-Astronomer, Sam Durrance, Joins the CSF Suborbital Researchers Group [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Commercial Spaceflight Federation Announces Creation and Initial Membership of Spaceports Council [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- CSF President Bretton Alexander Testifies Before House Science Committee on Spaceflight Safety [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- CSF Vice-Chairman Jeff Greason Testifies Before House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Commercial Spaceflight Regulation [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Virgin Galactic Unveils SpaceShipTwo [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- So that’s why Aabar invested in Virgin? [Last Updated On: December 15th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 15th, 2009]
- More about the Virgin rollout aftermath [Last Updated On: December 17th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 17th, 2009]
- Space tourism as “the final undiscovered frontier”? [Last Updated On: December 17th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 17th, 2009]
- Orion Propulsion acquired [Last Updated On: December 17th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 17th, 2009]
- Spaceport America developments [Last Updated On: December 18th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 18th, 2009]
- XCOR wins a major customer [Last Updated On: December 19th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 19th, 2009]
- Centennial Challenges, Spaceport Infrastructure Grants, and Suborbital Science to Receive Funds from NASA and FAA [Last Updated On: December 22nd, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 22nd, 2009]
- Video tour of Spaceport America [Last Updated On: December 24th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 24th, 2009]
- Virgin’s web traffic planning [Last Updated On: December 24th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 24th, 2009]
- List of Speakers Announced for the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference in February [Last Updated On: December 31st, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 31st, 2009]
- Popular Science Features Commercial Spaceflight on January Cover, Discusses NASA Partnerships [Last Updated On: January 4th, 2010] [Originally Added On: January 4th, 2010]
- Aviation Week honors the “Space Entrepreneur” [Last Updated On: January 5th, 2010] [Originally Added On: January 5th, 2010]
- “The Space Entrepreneur” Named by Aviation Week Magazine As Its 2009 Person of the Year [Last Updated On: January 5th, 2010] [Originally Added On: January 5th, 2010]
- Additional notes about Olsen’s book [Last Updated On: January 6th, 2010] [Originally Added On: January 6th, 2010]
- Registration deadline approaching for suborbital science conference [Last Updated On: January 8th, 2010] [Originally Added On: January 8th, 2010]
- NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver to Keynote the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference in February [Last Updated On: January 11th, 2010] [Originally Added On: January 11th, 2010]
- Cecil Field gets spaceport license – but will anyone use it? [Last Updated On: January 12th, 2010] [Originally Added On: January 12th, 2010]
- Training begins for suborbital scientist-astronauts [Last Updated On: January 12th, 2010] [Originally Added On: January 12th, 2010]
- First Class of Suborbital Scientist-Astronauts Successfully Complete NASTAR Training Program [Last Updated On: January 14th, 2010] [Originally Added On: January 14th, 2010]
- Is “space tour guide” in your professional future? [Last Updated On: January 17th, 2010] [Originally Added On: January 17th, 2010]
- What can Florida, Indiana, and others learn from Oklahoma? [Last Updated On: January 17th, 2010] [Originally Added On: January 17th, 2010]
- Virginia wants money, New Mexico wants laws [Last Updated On: January 21st, 2010] [Originally Added On: January 21st, 2010]
- Commercial Spaceflight Federation Responds to the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel’s 2009 Annual Report [Last Updated On: January 21st, 2010] [Originally Added On: January 21st, 2010]
- CSF Statement on NASA’s Anticipated Announcement of a $6 Billion Commercial Crew Program and NASA Budget Increase [Last Updated On: January 29th, 2010] [Originally Added On: January 29th, 2010]
- CSF Welcomes New NASA Human Spaceflight Plan, Congratulates Commercial Crew Development Winners [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2010] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2010]
- NASA Unveils Commercial Human Spaceflight Development Agreements and Announces $50 Million in Seed Funding for Commercial Crew [Last Updated On: February 3rd, 2010] [Originally Added On: February 3rd, 2010]
- James Cameron Endorses Commercial Spaceflight, New NASA Plan [Last Updated On: February 4th, 2010] [Originally Added On: February 4th, 2010]
- Newt Gingrich and Bob Walker Endorse Obama’s New NASA Plan, Urge Bipartisan Support [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2010] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2010]
- Blue Origin proposes orbital vehicle [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2010] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2010]
- CSF Announces New Research and Education Affiliates Program, Initial Participating Universities [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2010] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2010]
- CSF Welcomes Historic NASA Commitment of $75 Million for Commercial Suborbital Flights, Payloads [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2010] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2010]
- Suborbital vehicle development updates [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2010] [Originally Added On: February 19th, 2010]
- Other conference announcements [Last Updated On: February 21st, 2010] [Originally Added On: February 21st, 2010]
- Bigger prizes to come? [Last Updated On: February 23rd, 2010] [Originally Added On: February 23rd, 2010]
- Gov. Bill Richardson Endorses Commercial Spaceflight, Obama’s New NASA Plan [Last Updated On: February 23rd, 2010] [Originally Added On: February 23rd, 2010]
- Over 250 People Attend Next-Gen Suborbital Researchers Conference, 2011 Meeting Planned for Florida [Last Updated On: February 24th, 2010] [Originally Added On: February 24th, 2010]
- Boston Globe, Nature, New York Times Editorial Boards Among Others Welcoming New NASA Plan [Last Updated On: February 25th, 2010] [Originally Added On: February 25th, 2010]
- Commercial Spaceflight Federation Commends New Mexico for Passage of Key Liability Legislation [Last Updated On: March 2nd, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 2nd, 2010]
- Burt Rutan’s BigThink [Last Updated On: March 3rd, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 3rd, 2010]
- Brief notes: Soyuz, Virgin, and… iCarly? [Last Updated On: March 5th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 5th, 2010]
- Commercial Spaceflight Federation 2009 Annual Report Highlights Industry Progress [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2010]
- SpaceShipTwo flies, on schedule [Last Updated On: March 23rd, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 23rd, 2010]
- SpaceShipTwo captive carry flight video [Last Updated On: March 23rd, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 23rd, 2010]
- Over the Mojave Desert, Suborbital Vehicles Take Flight [Last Updated On: March 28th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 28th, 2010]
- See WK2 and SS2 fly in New Mexico this October [Last Updated On: March 29th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 29th, 2010]
- SA10: Commercial RLV Technology Roadmap update [Last Updated On: April 9th, 2010] [Originally Added On: April 9th, 2010]
- An evolving Armadillo [Last Updated On: April 11th, 2010] [Originally Added On: April 11th, 2010]