White Knight Two Ready for Testing

I get excited about stories like this because commercial space travel is exciting, the only down point is the high cost that prevents us middle class fanboys from taking a well deserved vacation in orbit:

White Knight Two space rocket in Mojave Desert for testing

“Sir Richard Branson’s dreams of operating the world’s first commercial spaceline will move a step closer today when he unveils his new space rocket. The billionaire will present White Knight Two to the world in the searing heat of the Mojave Desert – ahead of the first proper flight which is expected as early as next year.

White Knight Two will be the mothership, on which a much smaller spaceship will sit until it is projected into sub-orbital space flight at a certain altitude. Designs for both White Knight Two, which is the world’s largest aircraft made entirely from carbon composite, and the smaller SpaceShip Two were unveiled in New York in January.”

…By the way Branson has real class: I understand that one of the two ships will be named Spirit of Steve Fossett after after the aviator who went missing last year.