Flight test program

In October 2009, Virgin Galactic CEO Will Whitehorn outlined the flight test program
for SpaceShipTwo. The test program will include seven phases: vehicle ground testing,
captive carry under WhiteKnightTwo, unpowered glide testing, subsonic testing with only
a brief firing of the rocket, supersonic atmospheric testing, then rocket into suborbital space,
and finally execute a detailed and lengthy process with US Federal government regulator
FAA/AST to demonstrate system robustness and eventually obtain a commercial launch license to
begin commercial operations.