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Date set for historic spaceflight (Burt Rutan / Scaled Composites / SpaceShipOne alert)
BBC ^ | Wednesday, 2 June, 2004, 16:15 GMT 17:15 UK | By Dr David Whitehouse

Posted on 06/02/2004 10:46:44 AM PDT by alnitak

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 miles)

Wings fold up to provide "feather" effect

Converts back to non-feathered glider


Aviation history is set to be made on 21 June if SpaceShipOne becomes the first privately-built spacecraft to go into space.

Last month it completed an impressive demonstration over Mojave airport, when SpaceShipOne and its carrier aircraft White Knight moved a step closer to claiming the X-prize. Pilot Mike Melvill took the vehicle closer to space than any non-governmental craft has been.

Its 64km (211,000ft) altitude was twice as high as SpaceShipOne had been piloted to before.

To win the Ansari X-Prize, that altitude - 100km (329,000ft), the official boundary of space - has to be reached twice in two-weeks by a three-man spacecraft.

SpaceShipOne's 14 shakedown tests have now put it into a position to make the bid for space.

Burt Rutan's company Scaled Composites has already become the first non-governmental body to be granted a launch licence when the US Federal Aviation Authority gave it one on 1 April.

The X-prize will mark a new era in manned spaceflight when private companies are able to make short sub-orbital hops for paying customers.

It is hoped that a market for space tourism can be developed. But in reality, only a very few rich passengers will be able to be carried into space by one or two companies for the foreseeable future.





TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: astronauts; burtrutan; enterprise; goliath; space; spaceshipone; xprize
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To: alnitak

So would whoever flies this get astronaut wings? I suppose not, but that brings on a more general question as civilian space travel opens up: who exactly is an "astronaut"? Will flying for NASA make you an astronaut and Rosaviakosmos a cosmonaut and if you fly privately are you just a space traveler?

I think the term astronaut should probably be reserved for the specific government job, but I believe they've given shuttleworth and tito astronaut wings, so its already becoming a question.


41 posted on 06/02/2004 5:36:16 PM PDT by unibrowshift9b20
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To: unibrowshift9b20

oops, sorry about the double post


42 posted on 06/02/2004 5:41:07 PM PDT by unibrowshift9b20
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To: Aeronaut; alnitak; Tijeras_Slim; FireTrack; Pukin Dog; citabria; B Knotts; kilowhskey; ...

Best I recall, Mr Rutan has never had a failure.

Taps the creative juices, does the math, does the physics, applies the aeronautics, does the construction -- and experiences first time, first flight, success.

Quite the American Man!


43 posted on 06/02/2004 9:00:33 PM PDT by Brian Allen (United States of America's President and Armed-Forces Commander-In-Chief, George Walker Bush - 2008!)
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To: Professional Engineer

Yes it is awesome. Thanks.


44 posted on 06/03/2004 10:26:19 AM PDT by My back yard
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To: alnitak

Well, tomorrow is the big day. Is any cable station going to cover this live? I'm sure most of the news outlets will cut to the launch and recovery, but is anyone planning on being on scene live for the entire duration of the flight?


45 posted on 06/20/2004 7:43:24 PM PDT by SWake ("Estrada was savaged by liars and abandoned by cowards." Mark Davis, WBAP, 09/09/2003)
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To: SWake

I think CNN will be, however since I will be at work (UK based) it will be an evening show. In fact I may not see it until tomorrow since England play Croatia in Euro2004 tonight :-)


46 posted on 06/21/2004 2:47:12 AM PDT by alnitak ("That kid's about as sharp as a pound of wet liver" - Foghorn Leghorn)
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Comment #47 Removed by Moderator


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