Sentence examples for feather system from inspiring English sources

A unique feature of SS1 that made the flights possible was its "feather" system.

When the craft hit Mach 1.02, 10 seconds after its engines were ignited, the ship's "feather" system – which is designed to stabilise the craft during re-entry – was unlocked, and almost immediately began to deploy.

Speaking to investigators from the NTSB on 7 November, Siebold said he was unaware that his co-pilot had prematurely unlocked the "feather" system, which is supposed to be unlocked only once the ship reaches Mach 1.4.

It has since been reported that when the craft hit Mach 1.02 10 seconds after its engines were ignited, the ship's "feather" system – designed to stabilise the craft during re-entry – was unlocked prematurely by Alsbury.

The rockets burned for 31 seconds total, and the craft's unique "feather" system for slowing its descent was deployed successfully.

What's the feather system?

One of the main unknowns behind the accident is what prompted the co-pilot to unlock the feathering system early.

SpaceShipTwo uses a novel "feathering system" to cut its speed and steady itself on re-entry to Earth's atmosphere.

Peter Siebold, 43, was unaware that the feathering system that controls descent had been unlocked early by co-pilot Michael Alsbury, who was killed in the crash in the Mojave desert in California on 31 October, the NTSB said.

But it's essentially the same as the one that crashed, with a few minor alterations, including a safety lock to prevent the premature initiation of the feathering system that led to the crash.

After a nine-month investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board ruled the 2014 crash to be the fault of pilot error, the result of unlocking the "feathering" system – designed to slow the craft down during re-entry – too early in the flight, and not due to any mechanical or systemic failure by the team.