Spaceship One

[Xeque]

The big day is tomorrow.

6am PST take-off from Mojave on the first privately funded flight into space with passengers thanks to Burt Rutan and Paul Allen (of Microsoft fame - hope they're not using XP for the on board computers :rolleyes: )

If they repeat within three (I think) weeks they win a truckload of money - The Ansari X prize.

In the meantime, our mate Richard (Virgin) Branson is in like Flynn. Virgin logos on the tail (of a model - plastic not human) and a promise that we can all fly Virgin into space by 2007.

Wonder what the seat pitch in Economy will be? :D

Any way - jokes aside - it is a mammoth undertaking and God Speed to Mike Melvil and his "passengers" tomorrow

[WhooEver]

"If they repeat within three (I think) weeks they win a truckload of money - The Ansari X prize."

$10M - Hardly a truck load, more like a SMART car load. Anyway, that's most certainly not the point and the best of luck to them tomorrow.

[redfield]

How to shoot oneself in the foot. Branson advertising space travel for hundreds of thousands of pounds while at the same time the 0747 VXC from Penzance to Dundee is 49 minutes late at Truro because of a "technical difficulty" with the train doors! "Welcome on board the 0900 Thunderbird service rocket flight from Heathrow to the Moon. We regret to announce a short delay due to a driver shortage." Virgin in space? Oh come on!!! :uhoh:

[cwatters]

The X prize is for a sub-orbital flight to around 100KM. Can someone tell me if this requires the use of heat shielding for re-entry?

[Josh10524]

I'll be in mojave to see the x-prize winning repeat (within three weeks), should it go as planned. Can't wait! I'll post pictures if anyone would be interested.

[Flip Flop Flyer]

Xeque:

It has to be repeated within 2 weeks of the first flight and most carry either 3 people or their equivelant weight. The craft must be piloted and reach a height of 62.something miles of altitude.

Ctwatters:

SpaceShipOne does not require heat sheilding as it descends at a rather leisurely speed. Rocket motors will burn out at 200K(ish) feet at around M 3.0, the craft will then coast to the required 350K(ish) feet where it will reconfigure the wings for the, slow, high-drag descent. Total flight time, including launch from the mothership (who's name eludes me know) will be around 45 minutes.

Good Luck to all of the SpaceShipOne crew, on the ground, in the air and in space.

One cannont fail to notice how Sir Richard has, once again, seized the moment and got his and his companys name all over the news, on what is from a technical point of view still a very shaky proposition. Oh, but how the media swallows! Personally I'm a bit miffed he's stealing Burt Rutan and Scaled Composits' sunshine.

[schooner]

Flip Flop Flyer, its "White Knight" :) .

Cheers.

[Bre901]

Take-off scheduled today at 1447 BST (0647 PDT)
more here (http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99996459)

MODS : apologies for the cross-posting, but as the subject was not deemed serious enough to remain on R&N, it is now on three dfferent forums.

[Ray Darr]

Less than an hour to go for lift-off from the runway (13:47 GMT). Less than two hours to go for ignition at FL 470 (14:50 GMT)!! :D

Godspeed, good luck, and safe journey to all involved.

~ R.D.

[Daysleeper]

Good live radio coverage from

http://www.colonyfund.com/

[Airbubba]

Looked like some uncommanded rolls on the way up but it was great! Still coming down, a sonic boom just hit the ground...

[Ray Darr]

THEY DID IT!!

358,000 + feet...must be quite a view.

Way to go, gang! Happy landings!
~R.D.

:ok: :ok: :ok:

[Windy Militant]

One down one to go! A thumping well done to all concerned. Hot Jets and Happy landings :ok: :ok:

[cormacshaw]

Second flight is scheduled for 7am (pacific time) on Monday. Live (and playback) coverage including a live onboard camera is available at
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/xprize_full_coverage.html
I'm kind glad I watched the first flight coverage after the event as the 'unscheduled flight manovures' did look a little scary at first.

One cannont fail to notice how Sir Richard has, once again, seized the moment and got his and his companys name all over the news, ... ... Personally I'm a bit miffed he's stealing Burt Rutan and Scaled Composits' sunshine.

Presumably he is buying their sunshine rather than stealing it. Scaled Composites needs such financial deals to fund its efforts. It was noticeable during the boring talky bits of the coverage of the first flight that the private sector-only nature and not-so-long term commercial viability of the project was being pushed heavily.

[Bre901]

According to CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/10/04/spaceshipone.attempt.cnn/index.html) they are airborne :ok: :ok:

cormacshaw's link is working too :ok:

[Bre901]

14:52 UTC : Ignition :ok:

14:55 UTC : looks like THEY DID IT !! :ok: :ok: :ok:

15:15 UTC Touchdown and success (http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/xprize2_success_041004.html)

[Airbubba]

These folks went higher than a CSD's salary in a London paper!
___________________________________________

SpaceShipOne captures X Prize
Privately funded craft reaches altitude requirement

By Michael Coren
CNN

Monday, October 4, 2004 Posted: 11:15 AM EDT (1515 GMT)

MOJAVE DESERT, California (CNN) -- SpaceShipOne reached climbed into space for the second time in a week to claim the $10 million Ansari X Prize.

X Prize officials said the privately funded craft reached 368,000 feet -- well into space -- Monday to win the $10 million prize.

The threshold of space is 328,000 feet.

Pilot Brian Binnie reported a shaky flight with "a little roll" but did not experience the 29 rolls Mike Melvill experienced last week.

Space ShipOne and its mother ship, the White Knight, featured a new paint job promoting Virgin Group, Richard Branson firm, which recently announced a deal to license the SpaceShipOne technology for a fleet of commercial spacecraft.It could also be the most lucrative 3 1/2 minutes in space for the Mojave Aerospace Ventures Team.

Spacecraft designer Burt Rutan told a crowd gathered at his home in the Mojave Desert on Sunday that he was confident of the success of today's flight -- and winning the $10 million Ansari X Prize check.

After some unexpected acrobatics during the last flight, Rutan said Monday's would be a smooth flight, but he was prepared for stability issues.

"We believe we have solved these and we don't believe we'll see the rolls tomorrow," he said. "But if we do, we don't believe they're dangerous. ... After all, what we're doing is research."

Binnie, who piloted the first powered SpaceShipOne launch, was at the helm of the craft after it was released from the belly of the White Knight turbojet at about 50,000 feet.

Within seconds after igniting its rocket, it was traveling faster than a bullet out of a rifle.

The spacecraft is outfitted with a stronger engine and some aerodynamic modifications from its first record-breaking flight into space on June 21.

Melvill flew the craft's first mission to space and reached, just barely, the required 62-mile altitude, passing the internationally recognized boundary of space. Wind shear and a jammed control on the tail meant the craft veered about 20 miles off course, but it returned for a smooth landing. It was only SpaceShipOne's fourth flight using the rocket engine

On Wednesday, SpaceShipOne streaked even higher to 337, 569 feet (64 miles). However, during its ascent, the private spacecraft began a series of rolls that Melvill brought under control only after ending the rocket burn 11 seconds early.

Today's suborbital flight is the second within two weeks needed to win the X Prize for the desert workshop of pilots and engineers who have continually pushed the envelope.

SpaceShipOne's thrust is provided by two innocuous substances that, when mixed together, are explosive: nitrous oxide and rubber.

A fuel tank about six feet in diameter at the center of the craft holds liquid nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas. A hollow tube leading from the tank to the engine nozzle is filled with solid rubber. The combustive combination produces thousands of pounds of thrust, although exact amount remains secret.

Most importantly, says aerospace engineer and spacecraft designer Rutan, it has opened the world -- and a private market -- to spaceflight.

"I strongly feel that, if we are successful, our program will mark the beginning of a renaissance for manned space flight," said Rutan in an X Prize statement.

Peter Diamandis, co-founder of the X Prize Foundation, said the $10 million award is intended to spur civilian spaceflight. The nonprofit X Prize Foundation is sponsoring the contest to promote the development of a low-cost, efficient craft for space tourism in the same way prize competitions stimulated commercial aviation in the early 20th century. The prize is fully funded through the end of the year

[Bre901]

Great achievement indeed :ok:

Now how long will it take before this thread gets moved out of R&N, just like ALL the previous ones on same subject
:confused: :rolleyes: :confused: :rolleyes: :confused: :rolleyes:

[woptb]

Any chance of booking my boss a one way ticket:}

[zed3]

woptb.....great idea , only problem is we need an Airbus 380 type thingy to get rid of all the clowns . Ooh.... what a wonderful idea , single tickets all round , they'd probably happily accept them as well just using the words - manager , stakeholders , efficiency , economical , budget , promotion , and profit . !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !

[Tordan]

Saw that Mr Branson will start Virgin Galactic. Do Virgin pilots have dibs for crewing? And how will the uniforms look like, I´m thinking good ole Flash Gordon here ;)

[ironbutt57]

Wish Boeing would put Burt Rutan to work on the 7E7...it would be a success for sure..had the pleasure of meeting him in 1984 a visionary to say the least.........

[Ray Darr]

IronB: I bet Rutan would love a tour of Sr. Paco's and a table-full of Margarita's to celebrate, no doubt!!
(got ya thinkin, huh bud?!) :D

To Mr. Rutan and the entire crew: sincere congratulations, and a fantastic job well done. Good luck, Mr. Branson. It'll be a great ride!
:ok: :ok: :ok:

Cheers,
~R.D.

[ironbutt57]

Yoooooooooooo Ray Darr..kinda funny my first job in high school, was at RAY DARR's barbeque restaurant on hiway 41 in Lookout Valley Tennessee in 1972...wow what a coinky-dink! Met Burt at Oceano Calif. airport when a friend of mine managed to kill himself in a long-eze..SPUN it in! I bet Burt would like a good magarita..or five at paco's...how's the tuk-tuk these days?

[Rollingthunder]

Well done team.

Nice to see it was done on the anniversary of Sputnik's launch.

Watching "The Right Stuff" at the moment. Hilarious and serious at the same time.