Commercial Manned Space Program Unveiled by Scaled Composites

Space REF ^ | Friday, April 18, 2003 | PRESS RELEASE

[vannrox]

Commercial Manned Space Program Unveiled by Scaled Composites

Scaled Composites today unveiled the existence of a commercial manned space program. This previously hidden, active research program has been in the works at its facility for two years. This program includes an airborne launcher (the White Knight), a space ship (SpaceShipOne), rocket propulsion, avionics, simulator and ground support elements.

Master of Ceremonies, Cliff Robertson, introduced Burt Rutan who explained the history and the components of the program. Other dignitaries who attended the event were Dr. Maxim Faget (pioneer configuratioin designer of the early NASA space program from the Mercury through the Apollo programs), Erik Lindbergh (grandson of Charles Lindbergh and President of the Lindbergh Foundation), and Dennis Tito (Soyuz space tourist).

Further information about the space program and high-resolution photographs are available at the Scaled Composites website: www.scaled.com.

[vannrox]

[vannrox]

[vannrox]

Go HERE to see a detailed cross section.

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

If Burt Rutan's involved, I want to see more! Verrrry interesting...

[Phsstpok]

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/data_sheets/html/space_ship_one.htm

Interesting, Scaled Composites web site is down. I'd say their server wasn't up to the flood of Freepers who instantly descended on it once this was posted

[Frank_Discussion]

Damn Straight. This is big, BIG, BIGGGG!!! Rutan is the person who can do this, I hope it literally "takes off" for them.

[wcbtinman]

Rutan and co have a reputation for doing the "impossible". They just don't know any better.

[strela]

This program includes an airborne launcher (the White Knight), a space ship (SpaceShipOne)

Gee whiz - must have taken months for some million-dollar consulting firm to come up with THAT name.

(sarcasm OFF)

Interesting article though - bump for later reading.

[vannrox]

Funky ship for sure. I like all the portholes in the interior picture. This is a three man ship with takeoff and landing capability. Amazing...just amazing! I also like the way it is designed to reorient itself while in orbit. Cool.

[RayChuang88]

The whole thing reminds me of the Daimler-Benz A bomber project that company studied seriously at the end of World War II for the Nazis--even down to the tall fixed undercarriage units that are aerodynamically faired over.

[hedgetrimmer]

This be pretty cool!

[JoeSchem]

Rutan is the person who can do this

You took the words right out of my keyboard!

[Dark Wing]

You will find this of interest.

[numberonepal]

This sure looks a lot like the shape of Steve Austin's plane.

She's breaking up, she's breaking up......!

[taildragger]

Rutan Story for all of you

My first time at Oshkosh 85' I believe. I am out at the airfield real early. I happen to be looking at a thing called the "Prescott Pusher" (which later turned out to a a huge beast and a dog).

Who comes waling up but Burt,and Dick Rutan with Mike Melville. (Mike is a long time employee of Burt's)

Mike is standing next to me and Burt and Dick are under the ropes checking out this pig (Imagine Rutan cretiqueing your design). Burt says something like "Hey Dick check this out" giggling. Mind you the designer is standing back behind the fuselage and won't go near them.

Mike says to me "You see that prop kid and the crack in the fuselage kid" I say ya. He says: "Ya the props Dia is smaller cause they over-rotated on takeoff and clipped the prop and dragged the streg and caused the crack".

It was a hoot. When I go I try every chance I get to attend his forums, the guy is a genius with vision. I get a big kick out of his airplanes.

[numberonepal]

Finally private industry has entered the manned space race. I expect this program to go off well since there is no government involved. I also expect to see many more businesses begin programs of their own. FINALLY business has stepped up to the plate on this issue. I believe will now see all kinds of different projects in the works. The end result will be cheaper and cheaper space flight. I for one would like to sign up for a ride.

[El Gato]

Damn Straight. This is big, BIG, BIGGGG!!! Rutan is the person who can do this, I hope it literally "takes off" for them

They'll have to take it out of the country to actually fly it. NASA will never let a manned spaceflight out from under their thumb, at least not without some serious head bashing. Rutan designed a great "Mud Fighter" too, but the Air Force wasn't interested. No General's stars for an unsolicited proposal you know.

[RightWhale]

Think DOD or NASA would be interested in this one? No, neither do I. If it can't launch a city bus into orbit, Congress won't look twice.

[Air Force Born]

Looks sort of like something from the old Buck Rogers serials. That would be neat.

[Frank_Discussion]

I don't think you're correct about that. NASA doesn't control spaceflight access, though the FAA does. The FAA has been pretty supportive of the idea, too, if I remember correctly. Also, Rutan's not building this to offfer to the government/military, so the unsolicited bids issue doesn't really apply.

But the market has solicited it - a large number of people have said they would ride a system like Rutan's if the hardware existed.