Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo has fired its engine in flight for the first time, a huge and long-awaited milestone.
The engine, fueled by liquid nitrous oxide and oxydized by solid hydroxl-terminated polybutediene (HTPB), is built by Sierra Nevada (which also builds the Dream Chaser orbital vehicle).
The next step — beyond a party at the Mojave, California construction facility — is unknown, but probably not much more than two or three successful flights remain before a flight to space, and not many beyond that before the first commercial flight. VG has over 500 customers lined up for rides.
The engine burned for 16s, and the vehicle was propelled to supersonic speed before cutoff.