Spaceport New Mexico and the X Prize Cup

The Space Review ^ | 05/02/05 | Charles Vane

[KevinDavis]

On June 21 of last year something extraordinary happened. A 63-year-old test pilot by the name of Mike Melvill took a small craft called SpaceShipOne to an altitude of 100 kilometers; he had reached the official edge of space. The flight was front-page news around the world, and was not without its share of drama. Seven seconds after launch a wind gust sent the craft on an unexpected 90-degree roll, and shortly after Melvill fired the craft’s hybrid rocket, a trim motor malfunctioned and sent him off course. Still, he was able to exceed 5 Gs of acceleration and reach a speed of Mach 2.9. He also became an astronaut

[KevinDavis]

Any freepers going???

[KevinDavis]

[Ken522]

I just heard somewhere that pilots are not allowed to fly after their 60th birthday - this pilot might have broken the law. ;-}

[DuncanWaring]

Like John Glenn?

[LasVegasMac]

Chuck Yeager must have missed that briefing.

LVM

[narby]

I just heard somewhere that pilots are not allowed to fly after their 60th birthday - this pilot might have broken the law. ;-}

Only pilots for the airlines.

I gave a bi-annual check ride to an 80 year old ex-747 captian once. He was pretty good, too. Like a real airline captian, he had this little plastic checklist roller, and when I'd throw something at him he'd crank his checklist and within a few seconds be at the right place and do what he should have.

I passed him.

[jokar]

Any freepers going???

To the event ?

[KevinDavis]

Yep...