Space tourism flights show off distinctly different designs approaches

Two distinct commercial and crewed spacecraft vehicles flew in July, demonstrating how radically divergent engineering design solutions have led to the start of the commercial human spaceflight era. The variances in launch configuration, engine design, reentry, descent and landing profile for these...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Aerospace America 2021-12, Vol.59 (10), p.9
Main Authors: Saam, Lisa, Courtney, Michelle
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aircraft rockets
Commercial space industry
Commercial spacecraft
Configuration management
Design engineering
Engine design
Hybrid propulsion
Manned space flight
Return to Earth space flight
Rocket engines
Rockets
Space exploration
Space tourism
Spacecraft
Systems integration
Tourism
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Summary:Two distinct commercial and crewed spacecraft vehicles flew in July, demonstrating how radically divergent engineering design solutions have led to the start of the commercial human spaceflight era. The variances in launch configuration, engine design, reentry, descent and landing profile for these spacecraft generated signicantly different design engineering approaches for materials, structures, propulsion, flight controls and systems integration. Virgin Galactic's Space Ship Two spacecraft VSS Unity has a hybrid propulsion rocket motor and a variable-shape aircraft-like structure that becomes a glider for its return to Earth, requiring pilots to guide it to the ground.
ISSN:0740-722X