ANOTHER STEP IS TAKEN BY VIRGIN GALACTIC AS IT MOVES FORWARD WITH THE TESTING OF IT’S ROCKET-POWERED SUPERSONIC AIRCRAFT. A TEST FLIGHT YESTERDAY FROM THE MOJAVE AIR AND SPACE PORT TOOK THE AIRCRAFT TO AN ALTITUDE OF 170,800 FEET, WHICH IS KNOWN AS THE MESOSPHERE. THE “V-S-S UNITY” TRAVELED AT A RATE OF 2-POINT-4-7 TIMES THE SPEED OF SOUND. A CARRIER CRAFT HAD CARRIED THE “UNITY” TO AN ALTITUDE OF 46-THOUSAND FEET BEFORE IT WAS RELEASED AND THE PILOTS IGNITED THE ROCKET MOTOR. THE COMPANY SAYS SUCCESSFUL TESTS LIKE THIS ADVANCE ITS PLANS FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE TRAVEL FROM THE SPACE PORT IN SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO.
