SpaceShip Two's First "Feathered" Flight

[TangoWhiskey]

http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/SpaceshipFeatherTestASuccess_204680-1.html

Watch the video... how many space flight passengers do you think will hurl when the craft starts that up and down oscillation after feather deployment? I don't recall the original craft doing that. Hopefully they can tweak some aerodynamics to dampen or eliminate that effect.

Deployment starts at 2:30 in the video linked on the page above; oscillations at 2:45 forward. Go full screen on the video to see it well.

 

[steingar]

I imagine the "feather" deployment will take place normally at much higher elevation where atmospheric forces will not be as great. I would assume that by the time the aircraft hit flyable levels that it would be in its normal navigable configuration.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

way cool

 

[TangoWhiskey]

I imagine the "feather" deployment will take place normally at much higher elevation where atmospheric forces will not be as great. I would assume that by the time the aircraft hit flyable levels that it would be in its normal navigable configuration.

Great point.