WhiteKnightTwo

E90341

carrier aircraft high-altitude research aircraft mothership aircraft twin-fuselage aircraft

WhiteKnightTwo is a twin-fuselage, high-altitude carrier aircraft developed by Scaled Composites to air-launch Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo suborbital spacecraft.

Statements (48)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	carrier aircraft → high-altitude research aircraft → mothership aircraft → twin-fuselage aircraft →
aircraftType	jet-powered aircraft →
airlineDesignator	VMS (Virgin Mothership) →
alsoKnownAs	Scaled Composites Model 348 →
configuration	twin-boom → twin-fuselage →
countryOfOrigin	United States →
crewCapacity	2 →
designedBy	Burt Rutan →
designedFor	SpaceShipTwo → Virgin Galactic suborbital tourism program →
designedForReusability	true →
developer	Scaled Composites →
developmentLocation	Mojave, California →
engineModel	Pratt & Whitney Canada PW308A →
engineType	turbofan →
firstAircraftName	VMS Eve →
firstFlight	2008-12-21 →
firstFlightLocation	Mojave Air and Space Port →
introduced	2008 →
landingGearType	tricycle landing gear →
launchAltitudeCapability	high altitude →
launchMethod	air launch →
length	approximately 24 m → approximately 78 ft →
manufacturer	Scaled Composites →
material	composite materials →
missionProfile	carry SpaceShipTwo to launch altitude and release →
namedAfter	Eve Branson →
numberOfEngines	4 →
operator	Virgin Galactic →
passengerCapacity	up to 6 in each fuselage (test configuration) →
primaryUser	Virgin Galactic →
program	Virgin Galactic →
programAssociation	SpaceShipTwo program →
purpose	air-launch platform for SpaceShipTwo →
registrationOfFirstAircraft	N348MS →
role	carrier aircraft for suborbital spacecraft →
runwayRequirement	conventional runway →
serviceCeiling	approximately 50,000 ft →
status	in service →
successorTo	White Knight (Scaled Composites Model 318) →
wingspan	approximately 141 ft → approximately 43 m →
wingType	high-wing →

Referenced by (6)

Subject (surface form when different)	Predicate
Scaled Composites → The Spaceship Company →	notableWork
Model 318 White Knight → White Knight →	successor
SpaceShipTwo →	launchesFrom
Virgin Galactic →	usesCarrierAircraft