White Knight and Spaceship One

The launch aircraft for the Spaceship One vehicle was a manned twin-turbojet research aircraft designed for high-altitude flights. It carried Spaceship One to an altitude of about 50,000 ft (15.24 km) although its ceiling was 53,000 ft (16.15 km) with a payload capacity of 8,000 lbs (3,628 kg). With a crew capacity of three, it could increase its 82ft (25 m) wing to 93 ft (28.3 m) for increased climb capability.

Spaceship One featured a three-seat (although for the X-Prize flights, two were ballasted) 60 inch (152 cm) diameter shirt sleeve environment cabin, with space-qualified ECS and dual-pane windows. The unique bullet-shape-with-wings configuration gave aircraft-like qualities for the boost phase, glide and landing. Its “care-free” configuration allowed a hands-off re-entry and reduced aerodynamic and thermal loads by converting to a pneumatic-actuated “feather” configuration, offering a stable, high-drag shape for entry. The motor powering the system was a “new non­toxic liquid nitrous oxide/rubber-fuelled hybrid propulsion system” specifically developed for Spaceship One.