Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

SpaceShipOne passes the 100km (62mi) mark

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • SpaceShipOne passes the 100km (62mi) mark

    MOJAVE, Calif. - A jet-powered airplane with a rocket plane slung under its belly took off early Monday for an attempt to make the first privately financed manned flight into space.

    The exotic White Knight mothership lifted off at about 6:45 a.m. PDT on a spiraling flight that was to take an hour to reach an altitude of about 50,000 feet, where it would release SpaceShipOne.

    Mike Melvill, the solo pilot of SpaceShipOne, was to then ignite the rocket's motor and attempt to soar 62 miles high. It would then make an unpowered glide to Mojave Airport.

    Source:Sun-Sentinel.com

    The spacecraft N328KF, was made by Scale Composites LLC, designed by aviation expert Burt Rutan, with funding from millonairre Paul Allen. The spacecraft is actually registered as a GLIDER with the FAA, since when it's in the atmosphere it doesn't use the rocket engine.



    EDIT:
    The flight was completed succesfully today with the landing happening around 11:15am EST. The suborbital flight lasted around 3.5 min and he achieved weightlessness state, proved by a bunch on M&Ms flying around him!!!
    Mike Melvill has become the first civilian astronaut to pilot into spaceby a private company. NASA recognizes an astronaut after he has flown above the 100km mark, which Mike passed



    CostaRicaAviation.com

    Click Here to view my aircraft photos at JetPhotos.Net!

  • #2
    The suborbital flight lasted around 3.5 min and he achieved weightlessness state, proved by a bunch on M&Ms flying around him!!!
    although..... that could have been reproduced by flying down at a rapid decent......
    Work Right, Fly Hard.

    Comment


    • #3
      SpaceShipOne passes the 100km (62mi) mark

      Congrats to Burt Rutan and Mike Melville and everybody working on this project .

      -Colin

      Comment


      • #4


        Don't they have to repeat the flight in a few days to win the X-Pice?
        Andy

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by LH 340-600


          Don't they have to repeat the flight in a few days to win the X-Pice?
          This flight is not part of an attempt to win the X-Prize. More like a test-flight. They have no plans to launch again in two weeks (at least not yet )

          Comment


          • #6
            Even if it isn't an immediate attempt at the prize, I think it is a huge step over the other competitors and they are pretty much guaranteed to win it if they play their cards right.

            I've been anticipating this for quite some time, and I'm glad to see the day finally come successfully. Rutan is a genius and has shaped the way I look at aeronautics.

            They have some cool lithographs available on the Scaled Composites website, I printed a whole slew off and they look quite neat.

            Comment


            • #7
              SpaceShipOne

              yeah... I saw it today in the Costa Rican TV news at California. But... that prize is HUGE!!! $10 million dollars... not that bad ... I read that they're flying in the next 2 weeks... but with 3 people onboard, that way it'll be a 'passenger trip to space' so they get the price.

              I read also that the pilot is gonna receive the first PRIVATE ASTRONAUT wings after flying the -whatever it is- lol :P at that altitude.

              for those who understand and read spanish, there's a very interesting article available at www.aerovia.com

              Buen tema Andre !!! pura vida colega!!!

              Saludos!
              Adolfo Morales Gamboa / TI-AMG
              MRSI - KPNE

              www.costaricasur.com

              www.costaricaaviation.com

              Comment

              Working...
              X