On May 1st, 2017 VSS Unity “feather” re-entry system was activated in flight for the first time.
VSS Unity was piloted by Mark Stucky and Mike Masucci, with pilots Nicola Pecile and CJ Sturckow as well as flight test engineer Dustin Mosher in carrier aircraft VMS Eve. This test flight was the fourth glide flight (and eighth flight overall) of VSS Unity.
VSS Unity Project Engineer, Gabe Williams, describes the vehicle’s unique feathering re-entry system.