Virgin Galactic will not launch tourists into space this year after technical adjustments delayed the company’s test flight by more than two months.
During a fourth quarter earnings conference call reporting the financial results of 2020 held on Thursday (February 25), company representatives announced that Virgin Galactic will delay the next test flight of its SpaceShipTwo suborbital vehicle for probably May to take care of of technical issues, according to SpaceNews. The delay will push the company’s first space tourist flights to 2022.
Regarding the approaching test flight, company officials cited the need for technical changes to the vehicle revealed by the vehicle’s aborted suborbital test flight on December 12, which was caused by electromagnetic interference (EMI), according to the SpaceNews. Virgin Galactic officials said EMI had a flight computer restarted at the same time that the SpaceShipTwo engine was on fire. There were no injuries to the two pilots of the vehicle during the aborted flight, and the vehicle landed safely.
Related: How Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo works (infographic)
After the incident, an investigation revealed that a new flight control computer system likely caused the increase in EMI that triggered the abortion. Virgin Galactic has planned a follow-up test flight to take place on February 13. But after trying to correct the problem, the company’s engineers noticed continued EMI problems and decided to postpone it again, using the time to modify the computer that is creating the interference and test the new system before trying another flight.
“We saw some of our sensor readings – pressures and temperatures, that sort of thing – show some unusual fluctuations, which let us know that EMI was still present and perhaps on systems that we didn’t anticipate initially,” said Virgin Galactic President Mike Moses on the call, according to SpaceNews.
Following these updates and tests with the new system, Virgin Galactic plans to take the vehicle off the ground for this test flight in May, followed by two more test flights. The first of these additional flights will have only two pilots, while the second will include Virgin Galactic employees traveling as test passengers in the vehicle’s cabin. These test flights will be followed by a fourth flight from the Italian Air Force, which will transport research loads together with payload specialists.
The company expects these flights to take place this summer, Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier said in the conference call, according to SpaceNews.
New vehicle, new year
The company also announced on the conference call that it will launch the next iteration of its suborbital vehicle, dubbed SpaceShip III, on March 30. After this launch, the company plans to start testing the vehicle’s flight in the summer, at the same time as SpaceShipTwo.
“The Future of the Fleet. Launch, March 30”, Virgin Galactic tweeted yesterday (February 25) along with a promotional image of what appears to be the vehicle.
The Future of the Fleet. Rollout, March 30. pic.twitter.com/Y6Y3NvNTDpFebruary 25, 2021
Following these tests, the company will “implement improvements and accelerate some long-term maintenance updates” on the WhiteKnightTwo aircraft, also known as VMS Eve, which carries the two suborbital vehicles in the air, Colglazier said on the call, according to SpaceNews.
Then, it will be time for paying customers to embark, he said. “At the end of this period, we expect VSS Unity to start flying with private astronauts and SpaceShip III will be in a position to complete its flight tests, which we expect to be in early 22nd,” added Colglazier.
Despite continuing delays, for which representatives blamed part of the blame for the coronavirus pandemic, the company is excited about the year that is just beginning.
“Looking ahead, we are focused on completing our test flight program, expanding our fleet of spacecraft and motherships and developing our unique and transformative customer experience,” said Colglazier of the company’s progress in 2020 in a statement. to the press after the call.
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