WhiteKnightTwo

WhiteKnightTwo is an air-launch aircraft designed and manufactured by Scaled Composites. It serves as the mothership for SpaceShipTwo, a suborbital spacecraft developed by Virgin Galactic. The primary function of WhiteKnightTwo is to carry SpaceShipTwo to a high altitude, typically around 50,000 feet, before releasing it for its own rocket-powered ascent into space.

The aircraft is a twin-fuselage design, a configuration chosen for its ability to carry a large and heavy payload such as SpaceShipTwo between its two main booms. This unique structure also provides a stable platform for the release of the spacecraft. WhiteKnightTwo is powered by four Pratt & Whitney PW308A turbofan engines. Its development was a significant undertaking, building upon Scaled Composites' extensive experience in experimental and advanced aircraft design, including the earlier White Knight, which served as a predecessor for suborbital test flights.

The operational concept involves WhiteKnightTwo taking off from a conventional runway with SpaceShipTwo attached to its center wing. Once at altitude, the two aircraft separate, and SpaceShipTwo initiates its rocket burn. WhiteKnightTwo then returns to the launch site. This air-launch method is intended to reduce the reliance on massive ground-based infrastructure and offers flexibility in launch locations. WhiteKnightTwo has played a crucial role in the development and testing of Virgin Galactic's space tourism program.