Branson Reaches 282,000 Feet In First Full Passenger Virgin Galactic Flight - AVweb

It makes sense to have the rocket generate enough weight to support itself under the belly of the carrier aircraft, to ease the strain on the carrier. So both are designed and configured to glide at about the same speed. If the rocket’s airfoils provided either significantly less or more lift at the carrier’s cruising speed, either condition would put more stress on the carrier’s airframe.