Everyday Astronaut

Publicly thanking Paul G. Allen, who admitted to investing more than $20 million in the project, Rutan appeared to physically choke up when he said, "We were able to develop a complete space program from scratch for the price of one of those government paper studies." ...Mojave Airport Manager Stu Witt... said. "Nobody's ever done anything like this before," Pearson said. "That's part of what's unique about America--nowhere else in the world. It's a great day for the country." Non-military government involvement was limited. In fact, according to Rutan, the first contact between NASA and the program participants came in a phone call to Rutan the day before the launch to notify him that NASA would like to send an observer.

Now Boarding! SpaceShipOne Paves Way for Passengers? ^
Posted by KevinDavis On 07/09/2004 8:22:33 PM PDT with 10 comments space.com ^ \| 07/09/04 \| Leonard David The roar from SpaceShipOne as it blasted into the history books last month, along with the media frenzy that surrounded the first private suborbital spacecraft launch, has long since dissipated; but a ripple of hope about the future of public space travel remains

Next SpaceShipOne Flights Will Be for Ansari X Prize ^
Posted by Veloxherc On 07/09/2004 8:55:54 PM PDT with 6 comments AIRVENTURE (EAA) ^ \| July 8, 2004 July 8, 2004 - After announcing this week that the control problems associated with June's historic space flight were solved, Burt Rutan said that the next flights of SpaceShipOne would be official attempts to garner the $10 million Ansari X Prize. Rutan told Wired Online Tuesday (July 6) that his team plans to do three flights in two weeks, although he gave no indication as to when the flights would take place. That's one more flight than required, just in case SpaceShipOne falls short on the first or second attempts. Rutan will give EAA AirVenture attendees the latest information about...

SpaceShipOne problems corrected ^
Posted by KevinDavis On 07/09/2004 4:52:25 PM PDT with 4 comments spacetoday.net ^ \| 07/07/04 Two major problems experienced during last month's suborbital space flight of Scaled Composites' SpaceShipOne vehicle have been corrected, Wired News reported Wednesday. In an interview, Burt Rutan said that engineers have solved a problem with a roll trim actuator that SpaceShipOne experienced late in the powered portion of the vehicle's flight. While Rutan said immediately after the June 21 flight that the problem was serious, he downplayed the problem in the Wired interview, saying that the actuator had hit a mechanical stop that limited its movement. Rutan also said that the strong roll the vehicle encountered immediately after starting its...

Private space ship 'back to form' ^
Posted by ScuzzyTerminator On 07/08/2004 7:10:06 PM PDT with 2 comments BBC ^ \| Published: 2004/07/08 12:29:18 GMT Private space ship 'back to form' SpaceShipOne, the world's first private space craft, is back on course for the Ansari X-Prize after solving technical hitches following June's historic trip. The craft, built by aviation pioneer Burt Rutan, had a technical problem as it reached the pinnacle of its record-breaking 100km voyage above the Earth. Pilot Mike Melvill had to use a back-up system to control the craft. But Rutan said the problem had been merely "a brief lockout" which only lasted three seconds. 'Not as serious' At a press conference following the historic flight on 21 June, Rutan told...

SpaceShipOne, Burt Rutan's entry for the X-Prize ^
Posted by Die_Hard Conservative Lady On 07/01/2004 7:11:40 AM PDT with 5 comments Wirral Rocketry Society ^ \| 7/1/04 \| Wirral Rocketry Society This is a great slide show of the Spaceship one... Hope I did this right!

The Future of Space Travel . . . ^
Posted by presidio9 On 06/30/2004 5:42:32 AM PDT with 17 comments The Wall Street Journal ^ \| Wednesday, June 30, 2004 \| HOLMAN W. JENKINS, JR Amid all the acclaim for Burt Rutan, spaceship designer, and pilot Mike Melvill, who carried off their private manned expedition to suborbital space last week, the bigger miracle may have been committed by the sponsors of the X Prize. The group had been keeping up appearances since 1996, but only recently found a way to fully fund its promised $10 million prize -- a bow here to Anousheh Ansari, the Iranian-born telecom entrepreneur who devoted a small chunk of her bubble-era fortune to the cause. Peter Diamandis, the X Prize founder, expected that some $100 million would end up being...

SpaceShipOne Data Shows Vessel Took a 'Trajectory Excursion' ^
Posted by ZGuy On 06/29/2004 7:13:54 AM PDT with 12 comments Space.com via Yahoo ^ \| 6/28/04 \| Leonard David Flight data from the first private vehicle to soar beyond the Earth's atmosphere has been posted by Scaled Composites, designer and builder of the SpaceShipOne. The flight was not trouble-free. With 63-year-old pilot Mike Melvill at the controls, SpaceShipOne's fourth powered flight on June 21 sliced through the sky high over Mojave, California desert. It was the first commercial astronaut flight by exceeding 328,000 feet (100 kilometers) -- to the edge of space. The flight marked the first time an aerospace program had successfully completed a piloted mission without government sponsorship. Momentum carried the day On the June 21 flight...

SpaceShipOne Makes History ó Barely ^
Posted by anymouse On 06/27/2004 9:43:09 PM PDT with 37 comments The Space Review ^ \| Thursday, June 24, 2004 \| Jeff Foust If there was a single word to describe how Burt Rutan and his team felt on the day before their historic flight, it would be confident. All the work preparing SpaceShipOne for its flight has been completed days earlier, and Rutan noted that on Saturday, two days before the planned flight, the hangar was dark all day long. Mike Melvill, the pilot selected to fly SpaceShipOne, could barely contain his enthusiasm during the preflight press conference. ìI am ready to go, boy, I am ready to go!î he said in a manner not unlike an athlete revving up for a...

Private Rocket Ship Breaks Space Barrier (Cool Photo Slide Show with Audio of SS1 Flight) ^
Posted by anymouse On 06/24/2004 7:58:16 PM PDT with 14 comments MSNBC ^ \| June 22, 2004 \| Alan Boyle With a triumphant thumbs-up and a broad grin, the pilot of the SpaceShipOne rocket plane celebrated becoming the first private-sector astronaut to steer his ship into space.

The Starship Free Enterprise ^
Posted by KevinDavis On 06/24/2004 4:58:55 PM PDT with 26 comments The Economist ^ \| 6/24/04 A milestone in the birth of a new kind of space age IT IS early in the morning in Mojave, and a pink blush has appeared on the horizon. One by one the stars are fading, and to the south of the airport a line of car headlights snakes into the distance. There is, however, no chance of hearing birdsong during what would otherwise be a serene desert dawn, for rock music is pumping out of huge speakers along the runway. Welcome to the age of commercial spaceflight. Prepare your chequebook for take-off. On June 21st, Mike Melvill fired his...

A New Space Age? ^
Posted by KevinDavis On 06/23/2004 6:51:15 PM PDT with 32 comments Newsweek ^ \| 6/21/04 Americaís interest in space travel has been declining since the heady Apollo days. SpaceShipOneís successful launch may rekindle the flame

SpaceShipOne Pilot Glimpses Edge of Clinton Book Hype ^
Posted by Tom D. On 06/23/2004 3:28:04 AM PDT with 8 comments ScrappleFace ^ \| June 21, 2004 \| Scott Ott SpaceShipOne Pilot Glimpses Edge of Clinton Book Hype Mike Melvill, the world's first private-industry astronaut, said today that as SpaceShipOne reached the zenith of its 62-mile high space flight, he caught a glimpse of the upper edge of the hype surrounding former President Bill Clinton's new memoir, My Life. "I saw the curvature of the earth's atmosphere, the blackness of outer space and shimmering crest of the Clinton book hyposphere," said Mr. Melvill. His discovery may put to rest the debate in the scientific community over whether the hype ever comes to an end. "From what I saw," said Mr....

To Boldly Go.... ^
Posted by cartoonistx On 06/22/2004 7:33:44 AM PDT with 5 comments The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin ^ \| 6/22/2004 \| Self

Coast to Coast AM Space Ship One report first hour on now ^
Posted by BurbankKarl On 06/21/2004 10:13:44 PM PDT with 5 comments Coast to Coast ^ \| me Coast to Coast AM: Space Ship One Thread 10PM PDT / 1AM EDT First Hour: James Oberg will report on the launch of Burt Rutan's SpaceShipOne.

New Entrants Versus Incumbents: Triumph of Truth and Technology ^
Posted by KevinDavis On 06/21/2004 4:29:05 PM PDT with 1 comment spacedaily.com ^ \| 6/21/04 \| Michael Potter and Rick Tumlinson Today's successful launch of the private SpaceShipOne high above the sands of California's Mojave Desert, marks the beginning of a new era of incumbent space agencies being challenged by new players.

Private Spaceship Encounters Glitches In Record-Setting Flight ^
Posted by KevinDavis On 06/21/2004 4:11:05 PM PDT with 31 comments space.com ^ \| 6/21/04 \| Leonard David MOJAVE, CALIFORNIA -- There were tense times during the sky-blistering flight of SpaceShipOne here this morning. Fighting control problems, pilot Mike Melvill wrestled with several anomalies that cut short a pre-planned altitude mark.

Civilian Space Flight a Reality! SPACE SHIP ONE - HE MADE IT! (sub orbital) ^
Posted by Dallas59 On 06/21/2004 8:22:15 AM PDT with 65 comments Yah-poo ^ \| 6/21/2004 \| JOHN ANTCZAK A rocket plane soared toward space Monday in a historic attempt to make the first privately financed flight into space. SpaceShipOne pilot Mike Melvill ignited a rocket motor for an 80-second burn intended to boost the craft to an altitude of 62 miles above the Mojave Desert. The craft was designed to make an unpowered landing back at Mojave Airport after an approximately 30-minute glide.

First Private Spaceflight Set to Launch ^
Posted by ovrtaxt On 06/21/2004 4:18:43 AM PDT with 4 comments foxnews ^ \| 6-21-04 \| ap MOJAVE, Calif. ó Mike Melvill (search) is hoping to boldly go where no private enterprise has gone before. Melvill was to be in the cockpit Monday of a privately developed rocket plane that seeks to soar into suborbital space, making history as the first non-governmental manned spaceflight.

LIVE THREAD: Spaceship One Launch ^
Posted by KevinDavis On 06/20/2004 6:06:19 PM PDT with 797 comments 6/20/04 I thought this will be the official live thread of the historic launch of Spaceship One. Since this will happen while I'm at work, I thought I give a live thread an eary start..

Prize puts eyes on next frontier ^
Posted by KevinDavis On 06/20/2004 12:42:15 PM PDT with 3 comments Chicago Tribune ^ \| 6/20/04 \| Vincent J. Schodolski MOJAVE, Calif. -- The skies above this high-desert town have seen a lot of history.
Paul Allen: Private Spaceflight's Financier ^
Posted by KevinDavis On 06/20/2004 12:56:30 PM PDT with 9 comments space.com ^ \| 6/20/04 \| Leonard David Private spaceships need private money. Itís no different for the design, building and testing of SpaceShipOne, now undergoing final checks for a public shakeout Monday over the Mojave Desert in California.

The great leap up ^
Posted by Valin On 06/20/2004 7:44:25 AM PDT with 6 comments The Age ^ \| 6/21/04 Today marks a breakthrough in the final frontier for space tourists, writes science reporter Stephen Cauchi. Late tonight, if all goes to plan, there will be a space flight like no other. SpaceShipOne, the world's first privately built, manned spaceship, will take-off from a runway in California. For would-be space tourists on a budget, it is a momentous occasion. For in a decade or so, they will probably be able to earn the ultimate thrill ó their astronaut wings ó as passengers in a craft very much like it. SpaceShipOne will not go fast enough to orbit the Earth. But...

Monday's Private Spaceflight: Historical Milestone or Stunt Flying? ^
Posted by KevinDavis On 06/19/2004 2:36:52 PM PDT with 30 comments space.com ^ \| 6/19/04 \| Leonard David A privately built rocket plane is ready to streak through the sky over Mojave, California desert on June 21. Project officials herald it as the first non-governmental piloted flight to leave the Earth's atmosphere.

Would You Climb Aboard SpaceShipOne Monday? ^
Posted by KevinDavis On 06/19/2004 2:30:28 PM PDT with 29 comments space.com ^ \| 06/19/04 \| Robert Roy Britt All spaceflight is risky, any expert will tell you. Maiden voyages can be particularly tricky, given all the unknowns. Even SpaceShipOne, a smooth-operating, trusty craft, had a mishap upon landing during a test flight last December.

BOUND FOR SPACE ^
Posted by BenLurkin On 06/19/2004 9:48:32 AM PDT with 35 comments Valley Press ^ \| June 19, 2004 MOJAVE - On Monday morning, Mojave will become the center of the universe for space enthusiasts. On that day, providing Mother Nature cooperates, Scaled Composites will attempt the first privately funded manned space flight. SpaceShipOne, a star-spangled, football-shaped spacecraft will carry its single pilot 328,000 feet - 62.5 miles - above the Earth and into space.

Historic Space Launch Attempt June 21 -- 1st Privately Funded Manned Space Flight [public invited] ^
Posted by ZGuy On 06/18/2004 7:40:59 AM PDT with 18 comments ScaledComposites ^ \| 6/2/04 REMINDER!!!! A privately-developed rocket plane will launch into history on June 21 on a mission to become the worldís first commercial manned space vehicle. Investor and philanthropist Paul G. Allen and aviation legend Burt Rutan have teamed to create the program, which will attempt the first non-governmental flight to leave the earthís atmosphere. SpaceShipOne will rocket to 100 kilometers (62 miles) into sub-orbital space above the Mojave Civilian Aerospace Test Center, a commercial airport in the California desert. If successful, it will demonstrate that the space frontier is finally open to private enterprise. This event could be the breakthrough that...

Date Set For Private Space Launch(SpaceShipOne from Scaled Composites) ^
Posted by TigerLikesRooster On 06/02/2004 7:57:47 PM PDT with 10 comments BBC NEWS ^ \| 06/02/04 \| Dr David Whitehouse Date set for private space launch By Dr David Whitehouse BBC News Online science editor SpaceShipOne could make aviation history Scaled Composites, the company behind the first private manned spacecraft, will launch it into space on 21 June carrying an as yet unnamed astronaut. SpaceShipOne is built by aerospace pioneer Burt Rutan who hopes to win the Ansari X-prize of $10m (£5.7m) for the first private flight into space. The craft has to reach an altitude of 100km (329,000ft) twice in two weeks to win. A total of 25 other teams across the world are competing for the prize. First...

Historic Space Launch Attempt for SpaceShipOne Scheduled for June 21 (XPRIZE) ^
Posted by BurbankKarl On 06/02/2004 1:56:42 PM PDT with 22 comments Space Ref Press Release ^ Mojave, CA: A privately-developed rocket plane will launch into history on June 21 on a mission to become the world's first commercial manned space vehicle. Investor and philanthropist Paul G. Allen and aviation legend Burt Rutan have teamed to create the program, which will attempt the first non-governmental flight to leave the earth's atmosphere. Paul G. Allen and aviation legend Burt Rutan have teamed to create a manned space program, which will attempt the first non-governmental flight to leave the earth's atmosphere. SpaceShipOne will rocket to 100 kilometers (62 miles) into sub-orbital space above the Mojave Civilian Aerospace Test Center,...

Date set for historic spaceflight (Burt Rutan / Scaled Composites / SpaceShipOne alert) ^
Posted by alnitak On 06/02/2004 10:46:44 AM PDT with 46 comments BBC ^ \| Wednesday, 2 June, 2004, 16:15 GMT 17:15 UK \| By Dr David Whitehouse Scaled Composites, the company behind the first private manned spacecraft, will launch it into space on 21 June carrying an as yet unnamed astronaut. SpaceShipOne is built by aerospace pioneer Burt Rutan who hopes to win the Ansari X-prize of $10m (£5.7m) for the first private flight into space. The craft has to reach an altitude of 100km (329,000ft) twice in two weeks to win. A total of 25 other teams across the world are competing for the prize. First private astronaut SPACE FLIGHT ATTEMPT SpaceShipOne boosts itself into the atmosphere It aims for an altitude of 100km (62...

Spaceport to Rise in California's Mojave Desert ^
Posted by happygrl On 05/24/2004 12:42:44 PM PDT with 39 comments Space.com ^ \| Mon May 24,10:54 AM ET \| By Leonard David A desert airdrome in Mojave, California is on the final glide path to getting government approval for becoming an inland gateway to space. The Federal Aviation Administration (news - web sites)'s Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation (FAA/AST) is expected next month to certify that the Mojave Airport Civilian Flight Test Center as a non-federal spaceport to handle horizontal launches of reusable spacecraft. As such, Mojave Airport can offer a range of launch and landing services making it a hub for high-flying craft intended to help spark public space travel. The Mojave Airport is located approximately 100 miles north of...

Data From Recent Test Flight of Private Spacecraft Released. ^
Posted by tricky_k_1972 On 05/20/2004 2:18:52 PM PDT with 42 comments Space.com ^ \| 20 May 2004, 10:00 am ET \| Leonard David The May 13th flight of the privately-financed SpaceShipOne has verified that the craft and its operators are close to attempting suborbital flight. Their goal: Two consecutive missions, two weeks apart, aimed at winning the Ansari X Prize purse. SpaceShipOne has undergone a series of 14 confidence-building missions -- air toted, gliding, and powered flights -- much to the satisfaction of SpaceShipOneís builder, Scaled Composites of Mojave, California. Another test hop is on the books, before trying to win the $10 million Ansari X Prize competition, according to sources close to the project. Back-to-back flights The quest by Scaled Composites to...

Plane Flies to Edge of Space - ^
Posted by UnklGene On 05/15/2004 12:14:40 PM PDT with 5 comments Discovery Channel ^ \| May 15, 2004 \| Ilene Mona Klotz Plane Flies to Edge of Space - By Irene Mona Klotz, Discovery News SpaceShipOne on a Test Run May 14, 2004 ó The front-runner in a $10-million race to send the first private crewed vehicle into space Thursday made a test flight that took a solo pilot near the edge of space. Aspiring astronaut Mike Melvill piloted the SpaceShipOne rocket plane, designed by legendary aircraft designer Burt Rutan, to nearly 41 miles above the planet's surface, nine miles shy of NASA's official designation of space and 21 miles short of the finish line for the X-Prize. Mission to Mars: Go...

SpaceShipOne makes third rocket-powered flight ^
Posted by Arkie2 On 05/14/2004 4:46:18 AM PDT with 28 comments USA Today ^ \| May 14, 04 \| staff Chalk up another booming flight of the privately-backed SpaceShipOne, the piloted rocket plane designed to soar to the edge of space and glide to a runway landing. With pilot Mike Melvill at the controls ó following release from the White Knight turbojet-powered launch aircraft high above the Mojave, California desert ó SpaceShipOne punched through the sky today boosted by a hybrid propellant rocket motor. According to sources who witnessed the flight, SpaceShipOne appears to have reached an altitude of a little over 200,000 feet. Scaled Composites of Mojave is the builder of SpaceShipOne, an effort led by aviation innovator, Burt...

Private spaceship sets altitude record ^
Posted by Bobby777 On 05/13/2004 9:18:35 PM PDT with 39 comments CNN.Com / Science & Space ^ \| Thursday, May 13, 2004 Posted: 10:13 PM EDT (0213 GMT) \| From Dave Santucci, CNN Firm is competing for the $10 million X Prize Aircraft designer Burt Rutan and his firm Scaled Composites took a giant leap early Thursday toward becoming the first private company to send a person into space. Scaled Composites, funded by Microsoft co-founder and billionaire Paul Allen, set a new civilian altitude record of 40 miles in a craft called SpaceShipOne during a test flight above California's Mojave Desert. The firm is one of 24 companies from several countries competing for the X Prize, which will go to the first privately funded group to send three people on a 62.5-mile-high suborbital...

Manned Private Rocket Reaches Edge of Space (XPRIZE) ^
Posted by BurbankKarl On 05/13/2004 6:07:16 PM PDT with 209 comments LA Times ^ \| 4/13/2004 \| Peter Pae MOJAVE ó A piloted rocket released from a spider-like mother plane shot straight up into the desert sky here today, climbing to 212,000 feet and becoming the first privately funded vehicle to reach the edge of space. The SpaceShipOne rocket carried 62-year-old test pilot Mike Melvill to heights only a few NASA astronauts and Air Force pilots have ever reached. The aviation milestone also propelled the aircraft's designer, Burt Rutan, to the forefront in the race to win the $10-million Ansari X Prize, an unusual competition to spur development of commercial spaceflight. "You just can't imagine what a thrill it...

Rutan group rockets toward X-Prize ^
Posted by BenLurkin On 04/09/2004 7:06:13 PM PDT with 14 comments Valley Press ^ \| April 9, 2004 \| ALLISON GATLIN MOJAVE - Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites team rocketed one step closer to claiming the $10 million X-Prize award Thursday with a seemingly flawless test flight of the SpaceShipOne rocketship. It was the second rocket-powered flight of the experimental spacecraft, Scaled Composites' entry into the international X-Prize race intended to jump-start the commercial space tourism industry. The competition will award $10 million to the first privately funded team to successfully build and launch a spacecraft capable of carrying three people to an altitude of 100 kilometers, or 328,000 feet, and safely return to earth, then turn around and duplicate the feat...

Private Space Plane Flies Again ^
Posted by Brett66 On 03/18/2004 4:17:00 PM PST with 22 comments Space.com ^ \| 3/18/04 \| Leonard David Private Space Plane Flies Again By Leonard David Senior Space Writer posted: 04:30 pm ET 18 April 2004 SpaceShipOne, a privately-built, passenger-carrying suborbital space vehicle, has undergone another test flight. On March 11, high over the Mojave Desert in California, the craft was released from the White Knight mothership, and then glided to a runway landing. SpaceShipOneís pilot was Pete Siebold. Objectives of the unpowered glide test included a check of pilot proficiency, as well as verifying the vehicleís reaction control system. A key aspect of the glide flight was to assess handling of the rocket plane now outfitted with...

SpaceShipOne pilot has eye on X-Prize ^
Posted by BenLurkin On 01/28/2004 11:33:58 AM PST with 16 comments Valley Press ^ \| January 27, 2004 \| ALLISON GATLIN With the first manned space program without government support, Burt Rutan once again is making history by conquering the skies. His SpaceShipOne already has set the record of the first manned supersonic flight by a privately built, nongovernment-funded aircraft, on its way to being the first privately built spacecraft to enter and return from a suborbital flight. Rutan's Mojave-based Scaled Composites has been the subject of much attention in the aviation and space world lately, and Chief Test Pilot Mike Melvill has been in the thick of it. Melvill was at the controls for the earliest glide flights of SpaceShipOne,...

Aerospace milestones celebrated ^
Posted by BenLurkin On 01/01/2004 11:02:20 AM PST Valley Press ^ \| January 1, 2004 \| ALLISON GATLIN Marking 100 years of man's success in conquering the skies, 2003 saw milestones for both what has been done and what is yet to come. Celebrations throughout the year culminated in the Dec. 17 anniversary of the Wright brothers' first successful powered flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C., a feat which set in motion changes that are still being felt and improved upon today. In the century since that flight, worldwide air travel has become common; space travel has moved from science fiction to reality; and air power has altered warfare. Although the Centennial of Flight marked a success, the year...

Photos of SpaceShipOne's Landing Mishap ^
Posted by Lokibob On 12/19/2003 8:34:55 AM PST with 21 comments space.com ^ \| 18 December 2003 \| Leonard David † † † † Exclusive: Photos of SpaceShipOne's Landing MishapBy Leonard DavidSenior Space Writerposted: 05:20 pm ET18 December 2003 Photos: Courtesy Alan Radecki, used with permissionAfter cracking through the sound barrier on Dec. 17, the privately funded SpaceShipOne's return glide to a Mojave, California landing strip ended in tense moments.
Valley's SpaceShipOne soars ^
Posted by BenLurkin On 12/18/2003 1:32:05 PM PST with 12 comments Valley Press ^ \| December 18, 2003. \| ALLISON GATLIN On the 100th anniversary of the birth of powered aviation, the first manned supersonic flight by a privately built, nongovernment-funded aircraft heralded the start of the next era, that of commercial space travel. On the centennial of the Wright brothers' first flight near Kitty Hawk, N.C., one of the famous Rutan brothers - Burt - aimed a private-venture spacecraft in the direction of the unknown. Operating with the same entrepreneurial spirit embodied in the Wright brothers, renowned aircraft designer Burt Rutan and his Scaled Composites company have embarked on the first nongovernmental space program with the SpaceShipOne spacecraft. Wednesday morning,...

X-Prize Update: SpaceShipOne's Third Drop Test ^
Posted by KevinDavis On 10/09/2003 5:53:35 PM PDT with 5 comments space.com ^ \| 10/09/03 \| Leonard David The pilot of a passenger-carrying spaceship being readied for suborbital flight reported some handling problems in an otherwise successful shakeout test. The folks at Scaled Composites in Mojave, California once again put SpaceShipOne through its paces. This third drop test of the craft took place on Sept. 23. The somewhat cagey firm, in pursuit of the $10 million X Prize, does not pre-announce flights or overtly publicize after-the-fact results from trial runs of the SpaceShipOne

SpaceShipOne Pitchup Incident To Cause Design Changes and Delay ^
Posted by Young Werther On 10/06/2003 4:58:21 PM PDT with 12 comments Aviation Week and Space Technology ^ \| 10/6/2003 \| Michael A. Dornheim Pitch hangup will result in delay and changes to designSpaceShip1 HiccupsScaled Composites is planning changes for its SpaceShipOne rocket glider, following a pitchup incident in flight test that showed the current configuration is not safe for the planned flight to 100 km. altitude.The glider was starting an aft center-of-gravity (CG) stall test on its third flight on Sept. 23 when it pitched up uncontrollably at about 85 KIAS--15 kt. above the 70-kt. forward CG stall speed demonstrated on the prior flight (AW&ST Sept. 1, p. 19). The results were reported by the company three days later at the Society of...

SpaceShipOne: A progress report (Rutan XPRIZE attempt) ^
Posted by Brett66 On 09/30/2003 3:24:53 PM PDT with 14 comments The Space Review ^ \| 9/29/03 \| Jeff Foust SpaceShipOne: A progress report by Jeff Foust Monday, September 29, 2003 One of the most exciting recent developments in the space industry has been Burt Rutanís efforts to win the X Prize. While Rutanís company, Scaled Composites, is just one of two dozen competitors for the $10 million prize, his bid is widely considered a, if not the, frontrunner. His public unveiling in April of the SpaceShipOne and the White Knight carrier aircraft attracted worldwide attention, ending up on the covers of magazines like Wired and Popular Science. One factor that had added to the mystique surrounding Rutanís effort has...

Private manned space plane unveiled ^
Posted by Leroy S. Mort On 04/19/2003 2:26:51 PM PDT with 37 comments MSNBC ^ \| 4/19/2003 \| John Bonne MOJAVE, Calif., April 18 ó Aircraft designer Burt Rutan unveiled Friday a fully-built launch system that, if flights outside the atmosphere prove successful, would be the first private manned space program. Both the spacecraft, called SpaceShipOne, and its launch platform, a futuristic jet known as the White Knight, were developed and built in secret and have already begun tests at lower altitudes. SOME OF THE BIGGEST names in space, including astronaut Buzz Aldrin, space tourist Dennis Tito and military officials, were on hand for Fridayís demonstration at the Mojave Airport, about 100 miles north of Los Angeles. In its first...

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