Posted on 10/01/2004 10:55:17 AM PDT by BenLurkin
MOJAVE - One down, one to go.
Following its successful spaceflight Wednesday morning, SpaceShipOne will attempt the second flight required to win the $10 million Ansari , on Monday, Oct. 4, barring any unforeseen problems or weather difficulties.
The Burt Rutan-designed spacecraft rocketed to an official, but not final, altitude of 337,500 feet, well over the 328,000 feet required by the competition rules.
The Ansari X-Prize, an international competition to jump-start the commercial space-travel industry, will award $10 million to the first privately funded team to successfully build and launch a spacecraft capable of carrying three people to 100 kilometers and safely return to Earth, then turn around and duplicate the feat with the same ship within two weeks.
With a successful flight Monday, Mojave Aerospace Ventures -- the partnership between Rutan's Scaled Composites and Paul Allen, the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft -- will claim the prize.
Again, the Mojave Airport will play host to spectators and media from around the world to take part in the historic event.
Wednesday's flight drew significantly smaller crowds than SpaceShipOne's first spaceflight on June 21. For that landmark event, the first time a privately funded spacecraft successfully carried a civilian astronaut into space and safely back to Earth, an estimated 27,000 people crowded onto the airport.
However, event organizers anticipate greater turnout Monday for the expected final flight in the competition.
With a mere four days between events, airport staff and event organizers under contract to the sponsoring X-Prize Foundation hit the ground running to address any glitches in the first event and prepare for the next.
"We knew the hard part would be the initial setup," said Bob Rice, airfield operations manager for the Mojave Airport and the general in charge of coordinating the various components of the special event.
Overall, the first X-Prize attempt was deemed a success, in the air and on the ground.
"I couldn't believe the Herculean efforts" of organizers and staffers, said Stu Witt, Mojave Airport general manager.
The few complaints -- such as too few toilets, too much trash and some small problems with directing crowds -- will be addressed.
Kern County sheriff's deputies, who helped provide security and crowd and traffic control, reported no problems with the event.
"A lady locked her keys in her car; that was it," said Sgt. Chuck Perlis of the Mojave station.
"It's such a low-key crowd," said Cmdr. Neil Record. "It's not like a Raiders tailgate party."
Armies of volunteers, local and those recruited through the X-Prize Foundation, sold food and merchandise, directed traffic, parked cars and performed other services.
The Rocket Boosters, a collection of area nonprofit organizations, had more than 200 volunteers on site selling food and exclusive SpaceShipOne merchandise. Proceeds from the sale of these hats, T-shirts, pins and other items are distributed among the participating charities.
The SpaceShipOne patches, new to this flight, proved popular sellers, said organizer Michele Behrens .
In addition to their other merchandise, the Rocket Boosters added a free raffle, which will continue for the second flight. Tickets are handed out to each car as it enters the public parking area. Those tickets may be turned in a the Rocket Boosters' booths to enter a drawing for a framed series of SpaceShipOne postcards, signed by Burt Rutan.
Assisting the Rocket Boosters were 39 students from Mojave High School's Engineering Academy.
"It was a great time for them," said academy advisor Christy Boyd.
"We got to talk to a lot of people" knowledgeable and excited about space, she said. Many shared views through telescopes and binoculars, sharing their passion for space.
"They were just filled with information."
Gathering at 2:30 a.m., the students "were just incredibly jazzed and ready to go," Boyd said.
The students, many who have parents involved with Scaled Composites, were excited to witness space flight in person, "some of that 'ooh-aah' effect," she said.
"It's amounted to more excitement for them," she said, and even more students are signing up for the next flight.
The thrill of the space flight was felt even as far as Washington, where Rep. Bill Thomas, whose 22nd Congressional District includes Mojave, watched the live broadcast before addressing the House.
"The first private effort to enter space has succeeded. This is part of a competition stimulating private enterprise in an area that formerly was totally government-controlled," the Bakersfield Republican said.
"I cannot help but see how striking this initial part of the achievement is to the reward that in part led Charles Lindbergh to fly across the Atlantic in 1927. That achievement sparked the initial age of commercial aviation. This is the beginning of commercial space aviation," he said.
SpaceShipOne to be featured on cable Discovery Channel
http://www.avpress.com/n/frsty8.hts
"Black Sky: The Race for Space" will air in two parts, beginning Sunday at 9 p.m., just hours before the spacecraft's third space-flight attempt Monday morning.
Need ping, please.
BTTT
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