Posted on 10/04/2004 12:47:11 PM PDT by ckilmer
SpaceShipOne Flies to Space and Wins the X-Prize Oct 4, 2004 - SpaceShipOne flew to space Monday morning, for the second time in less than a week. This time, though it came back down $10 million richer, taking the Ansari X-Prize. Pilot Brian Bennie guided the suborbital spacecraft to an altitude of more than 114 km (368,000 feet) after taking off from the Mojave Spaceport in California. Today's flight was completely smooth, without the terrifying series of barrel rolls at the highest point. Monday's flight was so high that it even beat records set by NASA's X-15 aircraft 40 years ago
(Excerpt) Read more at kilmer4.net ...
Are there any photos of the view from 56 miles high?
This is one of the best stories of recent years!
I believe he hit almost 70 miles today.
They got higher than that. 368,000 feet, or 69.7 statute miles or 60.6 nautical miles, or 112 kilometers. 100 kilometers was the requirement for the prize. They exceeded the maximum altitude ever reached by the X-15 (that was in 1963, the X-15 was much larger, but could only hold one person, and he was cramped. It took a B-52 to haul the X-15 up to launch altitude. Spaceship One was hauled up by the White Knight, purpose designed aircraft, with only 2 jet engines, contrasted to the 8 of the BUFF)
Has Rutan said what theoretical maximum altitude his bird should be capable of?
Bump for an excellent story.
Awesome. Thanks!
Better yet. Are there any photos of the views of Anousheh Ansari?
It's just about there. SpaceShipOne is just about maxed out at 370,000 feet. They'd have to strip weight (the passengers/ballast, for starters) and seriously upgrade the propulsion system to go much higher.
It'd be better to build a whole new vehicle to do that. Hmmm...
How about a two-stage system to achieve space station height?
Of course SpaceShipOne has no method for non-atmospheric guidance, has only sufficient oxygen for a very short duration trip, has no meteorite protection, etc - but the entire concept is very upgradable.
This is AWESOME!!!
"If mankind is to survive, then, for all but a very brief period of history, the word 'ship' must refer to 'space ship'."
--Arthur C. Clarke
(paraphrased)
Yes!
The SPIRIT of mankind cannot be tethered to a single world!
Go, you magnificent sonsabitches, go!
And, if there's ever room...
...take me with you...
...it must be like knocking on the door of heaven...
Did you see the in-cockpit video of the previous ascent? Melville was real busy on those two sticks.
> How about a two-stage system to achieve space station height?
That is what is being worked on by a number of groups, including Rutan (SpaceShip 3).
> Of course SpaceShipOne has no method for non-atmospheric guidance
Yes it does. Cold-gas RCS jets.
> the entire concept is very upgradable
Not, however, to orbit. To go to orbit it would need to go approximately 10 times faster. As if that's not bad enough, to get back it would need to dissipate approximately *100* times as much re-entry heating. The current design would turn into carbon fiber confetti if it tried.
I've been following both the flights on the internet. I scanned the news channels on satellite last night looking for coverage. Saw scant mention of this event.
Found only few to threads and replies about here on FR.
It is a shame that so few see the absolute beauty and importance of what Rutan and Co. pulled off. Watching that arrowhead streaking up sent a shiver of joy through me.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.