Photos: Virgin Galactic's 2nd Rocket-Powered SpaceShipTwo Flight

SpaceShipTwo's Rocket Engine in Flight

Copyright (c) 2013 MARS Scientific. All Rights Reserved

Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo completed its second powered flight on Sept. 5, 2013 over California's Mojave Desert. This image was taken by MARS Scientific as part of the Mobile Aerospace Reconnaissance System optical tracking system. [Read the Full Story Here]

SpaceShipTwo Lights its Engine in 2nd Rocket-Powered Flight

Kenneth Brown/Aerospace Photography

Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo rises into the sky under rocket power on Sept. 5, 2013. At right is WhiteKnightTwo, the private space plane's mothership, which carried it into the sky. [Read the Full Story Here]

SpaceShipTwo Soars Skyward on Second Rocket-Powered Flight Test

Kenneth Brown/Aerospace Photography

Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo is carried aloft by its mothership, WhiteKnightTwo, on Sept. 5, 2013, for the private space plane's second-ever rocket-powered flight test. [Read the Full Story Here]

SpaceShipTwo 2nd Powered Flight Test: Take Off

Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo spaceliner and its carrier aircraft WhiteKnightTwo take off for the spacecraft's second rocket-powered flight test on Sept. 5, 2013. The flight was based out of the Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, Calif. [Read the Full Story Here]

How Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Passenger Space Plane Works (Infographic)

Karl Tate, SPACE.com contributor

SpaceShipTwo will carry six passengers up past 328,000 feet altitude (100 kilometers), the point where astronaut wings are awarded. See how Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo works in this SPACE.com infographic.

[Read the Full Story of the 2nd Powered Test Flight Here]

SpaceShipTwo Soars Skyward on Second Rocket-Powered Flight Test

Kenneth Brown/Aerospace Photography

Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo is carried aloft by its mothership, WhiteKnightTwo, on Sept. 5, 2013, for the private space plane's second-ever rocket-powered flight test. [Read the Full Story Here]

Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo 2nd Powered Test Tail Image #1

Virgin Galactic

A camera mounted on Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo shows shows the view behind the spacecraft as it took its second powered test flight over the Mojave Air and Space Port on Sept. 5, 2013. [Read full story.]

Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo 2nd Powered Test Tail Image #2

Virgin Galactic

A camera mounted on Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo shows shows the view behind the spacecraft as it took its second powered test flight over the Mojave Air and Space Port on Sept. 5, 2013. [Read full story.]

Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo 2nd Powered Test Tail Image #3

Virgin Galactic

A camera mounted on Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo shows shows the view behind the spacecraft as it took its second powered test flight over the Mojave Air and Space Port on Sept. 5, 2013. [Read full story.]

Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo 2nd Powered Test Tail Image #4

Virgin Galactic

A camera mounted on Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo shows shows the view behind the spacecraft as it took its second powered test flight over the Mojave Air and Space Port on Sept. 5, 2013. [Read full story.]

Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo 2nd Powered Test Tail Image #5

Virgin Galactic

A camera mounted on Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo shows shows the view behind the spacecraft as it took its second powered test flight over the Mojave Air and Space Port on Sept. 5, 2013. [Read full story.]

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

Space.com Staff
News and editorial team

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.