FAA Oks Spaceship 2 Tests

FAA grants experimental permit to Virgin Galactic

Company plans test flights of passenger spaceship later this year

Mark Greenberg / Virgin Galactic file

Virgin Galactic's WhiteKnightTwo mothership and SpaceShipTwo rocket plane flies over the runway at Spaceport America in New Mexico.

 

By Irene Klotz

updated 5/30/2012 8:48:20 PM ET

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The Federal Aviation Administration has cleared SpaceShipTwo, a commercial six-passenger spacecraft owned by Virgin Galactic, to begin rocket-powered suborbital test flights, the company said Wednesday.

SpaceShipTwo manufacturer Scaled Composites of Mojave, Calif., received a one-year experimental launch permit on May 23 for test flights beyond the atmosphere, FAA spokesman Hank Price said.

MORE: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47621791/ns/technology_and_science-space/#.T8ezUfmitk0

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