Space Ship One

[Wayne Luke]

So this morning, I stepped out on my front porch and watched history be made as the privately owned space craft made its way into space for the second time within a week.

Mojave is about 35 miles away but you could clearly see the aircraft flying through the air and the vertical climb of the rocket module as it separated from its mothership.

[filburt1]

Did you watch the show on the Discovery channel about Bert/Burt Rutan and his ship? Interesting stuff.

Now that he has made his flight twice, has he won the X-Prize...or does he have to make an orbital launch twice within a small time frame?

[MrNase]

Take a picture, take a picture */me jumps up and down quite excited *

[Wayne Luke]

Now that he has made his flight twice, has he won the X-Prize...or does he have to make an orbital launch twice within a small time frame?

They don't have to make an orbital flight (spaceflight around the circumferance of the earth) but had to launch the weight of 3 adults into space to the altitude of 100 KM (62 Miles) twice within 14 days. At least one person has to be on the craft.

They launched in June but problems prevented actual acheiving the required altitude. The second flight was last Wednesday where they did achieve the required altitude. They launched the third time today.

You can see the X Prize requirements here:

http://web1-xprize.primary.net/teams/rules_and_guidelines.php

The prize won't pay for the cost of the project though which cost $25 Million. The contracts to provide a fleet of spacecraft to Airlines around the world will though. They are already in contract talks with Virgin Atlantic Airways.

[dynamite]

The prize won't pay for the cost of the project though which cost $25 Million. The contracts to provide a fleet of spacecraft to Airlines around the world will though. They are already in contract talks with Virgin Atlantic Airways.

Yeah, I see that Richard Branson is planning on launching (no pun intended) Virgin Galactic in 2007.

[Floris]

I followed this through Slashdot.org, very interesting read and looking forward on how it progresses.

[MGM]

I followed this through Slashdot.org, very interesting read and looking forward on how it progresses.

As am I, I've been trying to keep track of this since it started... glad to see someone is close to winning

MGM out

[Wayne Luke]

SpaceShipOne has been declared the winner of the X Prize already.

http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/xprize2_success_041004.html

[Wayne Luke]

Here is the new one people will be working towards:

http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/bigelow_spaceprize_040927.html

[Dean C]

Here is the new one people will be working towards:
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches...ze_040927.html

Should be interesting...

[dax]

Better to see SS1 historical climb, than asteriod Toutatis' historical fall (few days ago it passed approx. 1 mil. KM near Earth...)