{"id":39858,"date":"2013-05-07T18:33:05","date_gmt":"2013-05-07T10:33:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/from-shuttle-to-ss2-sturckow-joins-virgin-galactic\/"},"modified":"2013-05-07T18:33:05","modified_gmt":"2013-05-07T10:33:05","slug":"from-shuttle-to-ss2-sturckow-joins-virgin-galactic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/from-shuttle-to-ss2-sturckow-joins-virgin-galactic\/","title":{"rendered":"From Shuttle to SS2 \u2013 Sturckow joins Virgin Galactic"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Space Shuttle veteran Frederick \u201cCJ\u201d Sturckow has joined Virgin Galactic\u2019s commercial flight team. The retired U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) Colonel has been joined by retired U.S. Air Force (USAF) Lieutenant Colonel Michael \u201cSooch\u201d Masucci as additional pilots to fly the company\u2019s SpaceShipTwo.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>\nSS2 Pilots:<\/p>\n<p>Virgin Galactic are ramping up their operations, with one powered test flight \u2013 or propulsive test \u2013 already under their belts.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-29163\" title=\"SS2 Powered Flight\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Z416.jpg\" alt=\"SS2 Powered Flight\" width=\"349\" height=\"215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Z416.jpg 349w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Z416-180x110.jpg 180w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 349px) 100vw, 349px\">Several additional powered flights are set to take place \u2013 expanding the spaceship\u0092s powered flight envelope \u2013 ahead of the \u201crealistic goal\u201d of suborbital test flight by the end of the year.<\/p>\n<p>As such, Virgin Galactic believe the addition of new pilots will enable the company to meet the test schedule demands and prepare for subsequent commercial operations.<\/p>\n<p>They will join up with Mark Stucky and Mike Alsbury \u2013 test pilots for SS2\u2032s designers, Scaled Composites \u2013 who piloted the recent powered flight over the Mojave desert.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-29164\" title=\"Masucci\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Z32.jpg\" alt=\"Masucci\" width=\"350\" height=\"244\">Masucci joins Virgin Galactic from XOJET Inc, a private airline company where he was a Citation X (CE750) Captain and Check Airman, and has more than 30 years of civilian and military operational and test flying experience with more than 9,000 flight hours in over 70 different airplane and glider types.<\/p>\n<p>     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/p>\n<p>The former U-2 combat pilot also instructed in the F-16, T-38 and glider aircraft at the USAF Test Pilot School, while also serving as a Branch Chief. As a U-2 test pilot he was instrumental in the development and testing of the aircraft\u2019s glass cockpit and power upgrade programs. In addition, Masucci has commanded USAF developmental and operational test units, as well as combat and training units.<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"widget-title penci-border-arrow\">See Also<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>SS2 Update Section<\/li>\n<li>L2 Future Vehicles<\/li>\n<li>Click here to Join L2<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cVirgin Galactic is truly a world-class organization with unique flight opportunities that you just won\u0092t find anywhere else,\u201d Masucci said. \u201cI\u0092m proud to be a part of this team and look forward to contributing to this revolutionary program.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Former TOP GUN attendee Sturckow has more than 26 years of military flight experience, logging over 6,500 flight hours in more than 60 different aircraft.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-29165\" title=\"Sturckow (right) on STS-88\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Z42.jpg\" alt=\"Sturckow (right) on STS-88\" width=\"349\" height=\"212\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Z42.jpg 349w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Z42-180x110.jpg 180w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 349px) 100vw, 349px\">However, he is best known for logging 1,200 hours in space via four Shuttle missions. He becomes Virgin Galactic\u2019s first astronaut in their pilot corps.<\/p>\n<p>After joining NASA in 1994, Sturckow flew his first mission with Endeavour as her pilot during STS-88 \u2013 the first International Space Station assembly mission. During the 12-day mission in 1998, the Unity model was mated with Zarya, the Russian built Functional Cargo Block (FGB).<\/p>\n<p>His second Shuttle mission was also as pilot, this time with Discovery in 2001. STS-105 was the 11th mission to the ISS, which delivered the Expedition 3 crew, attached the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module and transferred more than 2.7 metric tons of supplies and equipment to the station.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-29166\" title=\"Sturckow on STS-117\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Z52.jpg\" alt=\"Sturckow on STS-117\" width=\"350\" height=\"224\">He then got to fly with Atlantis \u2013 this time as her commander \u2013 during her STS-117 mission in 2007. The 118th shuttle mission and the 21st mission to visit the ISS saw the S3\/4 truss segment \u2013 the heaviest element ever delivered by the shuttle to the station \u2013 ride uphill, as the orbital outpost took shape.<\/p>\n<p>Sturckow made his final flight with Discovery, commanding the STS-128 mission in 2009. The 128th shuttle mission and the 30th mission to the ISS, delivered 18,500 pounds of hardware to the Station.<\/p>\n<p>He then went on to serve as deputy chief of NASA\u0092s Astronaut Office for the final shuttle missions, flying weather reconnaissance in the T-38 and Shuttle Training Aircraft for launch and landing, before retiring from NASA.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-29167\" title=\"Sturckow with SS2\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Z65.jpg\" alt=\"Sturckow with SS2\" width=\"348\" height=\"245\">\u201cViewing the Earth from space is such a unique and unforgettable experience,\u201d Sturckow added. \u201cI\u2019m excited to be a part of the Virgin Galactic team that is revolutionizing access to space, making this opportunity a possibility for all.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Masucci and Sturckow will report to Chief Pilot David Mackay and Vice President of Operations Mike Moses at Virgin Galactic\u0092s Mojave location, where they will conduct flight training and testing with Virgin Galactic\u2019s WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo vehicles.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am pleased to have these two incredibly accomplished pilots join us during this important time as we embark on a series of important rocket-powered flight tests for SpaceShipTwo, ultimately testing the vehicle in space,\u201d said Virgin Galactic President and CEO George Whitesides.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTheir collective experience and outstanding performance in various demanding environments will make them invaluable assets to the Virgin Galactic team.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>(Images via NASA and Virgin Galactic).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Space Shuttle veteran Frederick \u201cCJ\u201d Sturckow has joined Virgin Galactic\u2019s commercial flight team. The retired U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) Colonel has been joined by retired U.S. Air Force (USAF) Lieutenant Colonel Michael \u201cSooch\u201d Masucci as additional pilots to fly the company\u2019s SpaceShipTwo. SS2 Pilots: Virgin Galactic are ramping up their operations, with one powered test [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30298,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[7779,8919,492],"class_list":["post-39858","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-shuttle","tag-ss2","tag-virgin-galactic"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39858"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39858"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39858\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30298"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39858"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39858"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39858"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}