SpaceShipThree

The Scaled Composites SpaceShipThree (SS3) was a mid-2000s proposed spaceplane to be developed by Virgin Galactic and Scaled Composites, ostensibly to follow SpaceShipTwo.

The mission originally proposed for SpaceShipThree in 2005 was for orbital spaceflight, as part of a program called "Tier 2" by Scaled Composites.^[1][2]

By 2008, Scaled Composites had reduced those plans and articulated a conceptual design that would be a point-to-point vehicle traveling outside the atmosphere.^[3] As of 2008, the SpaceShipThree concept spacecraft was conceived to be used for transportation through point-to-point suborbital spaceflight with the spacecraft providing, for example, a two-hour trip on the Kangaroo Route (from London to Sydney or Melbourne).^[3]

Scaled was sold to Northrop Grumman in 2007, and references to further work on a conceptual Scaled SS3 ended after that time.

References

External links

• Space tourism companies aiming for orbit (New Scientist Space, 8/24/2005)

See also

• StratoLaunch Systems
• Suborbital transport
• Suborbital bomber

The Spaceship Company Virgin Galactic Related companies Virgin Galactic (Virgin Group) Scaled Composites (Northrop Grumman) Mojave Aerospace Ventures (Vulcan Aerospace) Notable people Richard Branson Burt Rutan (founders) Doug Shane (president) Michael Alsbury† Brian Binnie Keith Colmer Michael Masucci Clint Nichols Peter Siebold Mark Stucky Background Ansari X Prize Scaled Composites Tier One SpaceShipOne White Knight One Programs / Ships Tier 1b SpaceShipTwo VSS Enterprise† 2014 crash VSS Unity White Knight Two VMS Eve VMS Spirit of Steve Fossett RocketMotorTwo SpaceShipThree Related topics Mojave Spaceport Kármán line Space tourism Companies Sub-orbital spaceflight Spaceplane