Comments on: WhiteKnightTwo by Virgin Galactic http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/ architecture and design magazine Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:19:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: cpcp http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/comment-page-1/#comment-164205 cpcp Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:44:43 +0000 http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/#comment-164205 you know i'm right edward. you know i’m right edward.

]]> By: edward http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/comment-page-1/#comment-164192 edward Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:03:26 +0000 http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/#comment-164192 blah, blah blah. blah, blah blah.

]]> By: cpcp http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/comment-page-1/#comment-164186 cpcp Thu, 07 Aug 2008 09:10:46 +0000 http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/#comment-164186 yes yes, F1 cars also shatter into shards that cause punctures (unfortunately for Lewis!), but thats the whole point - in a crash you want to dissipate the impact energy and direct it away from the driver. and the only way to do this is the let the material absorb the impact. and composite generally does fail catastrophically into shards. The skill of the engineer is to put this material in the right orientation and quantity and weave etc etc in the right place so that it can deal with the local stresses. in F1 cars, ocean racing yachts and, aerospace vehicles, there is a weight constraint, which affects performance. so you dont want to put excess material in where its not needed - so the material is placed very carefully to deal with speciofic loading cases only - those which occur during operation. leaving them weak in other scenarios. in the case of F1, the components are very strong and stiff if used properly, but break easily if they are subjected to a load which its not designed for. anyway. i dont really know much about this stuff, but i doubt you do either, and getting on here talking about how you assume this and assume that is really pointless. i doubt very much that such a groundbreaking vehicle - the first commercial space plane ever - would be designed and developed and tested haphazardly, particularly when its also pioneering an all composite construction. both virgin and scaled composites, you can be sure, are taking every possible measure to ensure that this will be every bit a success as its publicised to be. so yes, im sure there will be sufficient air trials - and with branson involved you'll hear about them - they'll be all over the news every step of the way to the first comm flight yes yes, F1 cars also shatter into shards that cause punctures (unfortunately for Lewis!), but thats the whole point – in a crash you want to dissipate the impact energy and direct it away from the driver. and the only way to do this is the let the material absorb the impact. and composite generally does fail catastrophically into shards.
The skill of the engineer is to put this material in the right orientation and quantity and weave etc etc in the right place so that it can deal with the local stresses. in F1 cars, ocean racing yachts and, aerospace vehicles, there is a weight constraint, which affects performance. so you dont want to put excess material in where its not needed – so the material is placed very carefully to deal with speciofic loading cases only – those which occur during operation. leaving them weak in other scenarios. in the case of F1, the components are very strong and stiff if used properly, but break easily if they are subjected to a load which its not designed for.
anyway. i dont really know much about this stuff, but i doubt you do either, and getting on here talking about how you assume this and assume that is really pointless. i doubt very much that such a groundbreaking vehicle – the first commercial space plane ever – would be designed and developed and tested haphazardly, particularly when its also pioneering an all composite construction. both virgin and scaled composites, you can be sure, are taking every possible measure to ensure that this will be every bit a success as its publicised to be.
so yes, im sure there will be sufficient air trials – and with branson involved you’ll hear about them – they’ll be all over the news every step of the way to the first comm flight

]]> By: edward http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/comment-page-1/#comment-163891 edward Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:01:39 +0000 http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/#comment-163891 "but concrete has been known to fracture in tension, ".. that's why it's reinforced with steel. But the composite struts on an F-1 car shatter on impact into shards that can cut a tire. And seems I read an warning about lack of crash testing on the Boeing composite under development. That from an ex- Boeing aero engr. “but concrete has been known to fracture in tension, “.. that’s why it’s reinforced with steel. But the composite struts on an F-1 car shatter on impact into shards that can cut a tire. And seems I read an warning about lack of crash testing on the Boeing composite under development. That from an ex- Boeing aero engr.

]]> By: cpcp http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/comment-page-1/#comment-163667 cpcp Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:52:15 +0000 http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/#comment-163667 edward, yes its been known to delaminate - under compressive loads mainly. but concrete has been known to fracture in tension, as has glass, and, in general all materials are known to have their weaknesses. of course there are going to be air trials - did you follow the development of White Knight One at all??? edward, yes its been known to delaminate – under compressive loads mainly. but concrete has been known to fracture in tension, as has glass, and, in general all materials are known to have their weaknesses.
of course there are going to be air trials – did you follow the development of White Knight One at all???

]]> By: edward http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/comment-page-1/#comment-163653 edward Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:18:36 +0000 http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/#comment-163653 Composite construction has been know to delaminate in for instance, ocean racing cats. One assumes sufficient air trials before paying customers risk their expensive necks. Composite construction has been know to delaminate in for instance, ocean racing cats. One assumes sufficient air trials before paying customers risk their expensive necks.

]]> By: cpcp http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/comment-page-1/#comment-163397 cpcp Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:02:52 +0000 http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/#comment-163397 Burt - i wanna be on you! Burt – i wanna be on you!

]]> By: Arne Peder Blix http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/comment-page-1/#comment-163381 Arne Peder Blix Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:03:23 +0000 http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/#comment-163381 Of course this will work. I have flown sail planes /gliders since I was 15. I have tried almost all possible and impossible manouvers with carbon fiber wings (including youngster mistakes). I can vouch for their strength. Later, I have made flying a hobby and regularly land sea-planes on glass-fiber floats which are only a fraction of the strength of carbon fiber. To further substantiate my qualified comment; I have been a submarine officer for three years and know a thing or two about the physics behind this. Take my word for it -this will work. The only question to ask is; Why didn't NASA start with carbon fiber? I'd do anything to go up there - even as a test crew! I hope I'll be able to afford it before I get too old. Brgds Arne Peder Blix -38 from Oslo, Norway (In a limitless universe, in an infinite of time, everything will happen). Of course this will work.
I have flown sail planes /gliders since I was 15. I have tried almost all possible and impossible manouvers with carbon fiber wings (including youngster mistakes). I can vouch for their strength.
Later, I have made flying a hobby and regularly land sea-planes on glass-fiber floats which are only a fraction of the strength of carbon fiber.

To further substantiate my qualified comment; I have been a submarine officer for three years and know a thing or two about the physics behind this.

Take my word for it -this will work. The only question to ask is;
Why didn’t NASA start with carbon fiber?

I’d do anything to go up there – even as a test crew!
I hope I’ll be able to afford it before I get too old.

Brgds
Arne Peder Blix
-38 from Oslo, Norway

(In a limitless universe, in an infinite of time, everything will happen).

]]> By: sam http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/comment-page-1/#comment-163360 sam Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:48:06 +0000 http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/#comment-163360 @ bozo: SNAP! (double entendre intended here...) @ bozo: SNAP! (double entendre intended here…)

]]> By: Will Mac http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/comment-page-1/#comment-163335 Will Mac Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:20:54 +0000 http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/03/virgin-galactic-unveils-whiteknighttwo/#comment-163335 I don't like flying anyway and looking at these pics make my palms sweat I don’t like flying anyway and looking at these pics make my palms sweat

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