The Unity’s feathering system is a mechanism that allows the vehicle to fold up its twin tail booms into a configuration more like a capsule, thereby increasing its stability upon re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere, explains Engadget. The VSS Unity’s test flight took place at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California.
The test flight, the fourth free flight test of the second SpaceShipTwo, was performed without a rocket engine on board. The last glide flight test was performed on February 24. Virgin Galactic hailed the successful flight test in a series of tweets.
Test pilots Mark Stucky and Mike Masucci were at VSS Unity’s controls, while Nicola Pecile and CJ Sturckow piloted the White Knight Two carrier airplane. Flight test engineer Dustin Mosher rode in the mothership as well, reported GeekWire.
The Wing-feathering system on VSS Unity
In the glide flight test conducted on Monday, the Unity’s pilots engaged the “feathering” mechanism once Unity was released from the White Knight Two carrier aircraft. The mechanism opened the spacecraft’s twin tail booms, slowing Unity down as it descended. The pilots then lowered the tail booms back into their regular configuration before they came in for their landing on the runway.
“The feather will be raised at lower altitudes — and consequently thicker atmosphere — than would be the case during a full mission to space,” the company said before the flight, according to Space News. “This will provide a rigorous test of the feather system in the air, complementing extensive testing already completed on the ground.”
It was good to see the flight test was successful, but much still needs to be done before Virgin Galactic will issue a full announcement of the test results. “Full analysis of the data from today’s flight will, as always, take time; but initial reports from the pilots and from mission control are extremely encouraging,” the company said in a post-flight statement.
Further reading on VSS Unity:
Virgin Galactic returns to the sky with test-flight of VSS Unity
‘It’s a go’ — Virgin Galactic to restart testing of SpaceShip Two
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceshipTwo makes its public debut
