Holy crap this is cool!

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Solar Sail Proves Photon Acceleration Works, as it Twists and Turns Under the Sun.

Virgin Galactic’s VSS Enterprise, also known as SpaceShipTwo, has completed her first captive carry flight.  From Virgin:

Virgin Galactic announced today that VSS Enterprise has completed her inaugural captive carry flight from Mojave Air and Spaceport.

This very first captive carry was a huge success and both the mothership and spaceship looked absolutely stunning against the blue back drop of the Mojave skies.

Commenting on the historic flight, Burt Rutan said: “This is a momentous day for the Scaled and Virgin Teams. The captive carry flight signifies the start of what we believe will be extremely exciting and successful spaceship flight test program.”

Sir Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Galactic added: “Seeing the finished spaceship in December was a major day for us but watching VSS Enterprise fly for the first time really brings home what beautiful, ground-breaking vehicles Burt and his team have developed for us. It comes as no surprise that the flight went so well; the Scaled team is uniquely qualified to bring this important and incredible dream to reality. Today was another major step along that road and a testament to US engineering and innovation.”

The VSS Enterprise test flight programme will continue though 2010 and 2011, progressing from captive carry to independent glide and then powered flight, prior to the start of commercial operations.

Very cool stuff!

Source: Virgin Galactic

Virgin Founder, Sir Richard Branson and SpaceshipOne designer, Burt Rutan, today revealed Spaceshiptwo, the first manned commercial spaceship.  SS2 was designed to take hopefully thousands of private individuals into space, after testing and licensing is complete. More details and more pictures at virgingalactic.com

Masten Space Systems has completed Level 1 in NASA’s Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge, joining Armadillo Aerospace, who qualified in September. Masten’s vehicle, “Xombie” lifted 53 meters up, did a 50 meter sideways translation, then touched down during a 90-second flight. They then repeated the flight. Check out more at Wired.

Armadillo Aerospace’s Scorpius rose 164 feet into the air, flew 164 feet away and landed on a simulated lunar surface, then lifted off again and returned to it’s starting point.  They are the first team to complete this phase of the Lunar Lander Challenge.

Read the rest at Space.com