It is requested that this article (or a section of this article) be expanded. See the request at Wikipedia:Requests for expansion or elsewhere on this talk page. Image File history File links Wikipedia Logo File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Scaled Composites' White Knight Two or Eve is the first stage of a two-stage to suborbital-space manned launch system. It is coupled with SpaceShipTwo to form the full launch package. WK2 is based on the successful White Knight mothership to SpaceShipOne, which itself is based on Proteus. Together WK2 and SS2 form the basis for Virgin Galactic's fleet of suborbital spaceplanes. Scaled Composites (often abbreviated as Scaled) was founded in 1982 in Mojave, California by famous aircraft designer Burt Rutan out of what used to be the Rutan Aircraft Factory. ... The Scaled Composites SpaceShipTwo is a suborbital spaceplane currenty under development to become the successor to SpaceShipOne. ... SpaceShipOne and White Knight during a captive carry test flight The Scaled Composites Model 318 White Knight is a jet-powered carrier aircraft used to launch the SpaceShipOne experimental spacecraft. ... SpaceShipOne is small, having a three-person cabin and short but wide wings. ... Proteus in flight The Scaled Composites Model 281 Proteus is a tandem-wing high-endurance aircraft designed by Burt Rutan to investigate the use of aircraft as high altitude telecommunications relays. ... VSS redirects here, VSS is the negative supply pin of a MOS IC. Virgin Galactic is a division of Richard Bransons Virgin Group, which plans to offer spaceflights to the paying public. ...

WK2 will be larger to support the larger SpaceShipTwo spacecraft, which is planned to hold 7 passengers and 2 crew.

As with the origional white knight, WK2 will have SpaceshipTwo attached underneath, and will also most likely have an identical cockpit to SpaceShipTwo.

It has been rumored that White Knight Two will indeed be the same aircraft as T/space's (Transformation Space) VLA, or Very Large Aircraft. The VLA is also designed by Rutan's Scaled Composites, and will be used by T/Space to drop in-air orbital rockets. However, there is no confirmation from Virgin Galactic or Scaled Compsites about the truth to this rumor.

Related content

Related development: Scaled Composites Model 318 – Scaled Composites SpaceShipTwo SpaceShipOne and White Knight during a captive carry test flight The Scaled Composites Model 318 White Knight is a jet-powered carrier aircraft used to launch the SpaceShipOne experimental spacecraft. ... The Scaled Composites SpaceShipTwo is a suborbital spaceplane currently under development to become the successor to SpaceShipOne. ...

Comparable aircraft:Proteus Proteus in flight The Scaled Composites Model 281 Proteus is a tandem-wing high-endurance aircraft designed by Burt Rutan to investigate the use of aircraft as high altitude telecommunications relays. ...

Designation sequence: White Knight — White Knight Two SpaceShipOne and White Knight during a captive carry test flight The Scaled Composites Model 318 White Knight is a jet-powered carrier aircraft used to launch the SpaceShipOne experimental spacecraft. ...