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Da Space.com (http://space.com/missionlaunches/SS1_preview_040619.html):
Monday's Private Spaceflight: Historical Milestone or Stunt Flying?
By Leonard David
Senior Space Writer
posted: 06:00 am ET
19 June 2004
A privately built rocket plane is ready to streak through the sky over Mojave, California desert on June 21. Project officials herald it as the first non-governmental piloted flight to leave the Earth's atmosphere.
Built by Scaled Composites of Mojave, California, SpaceShipOne is set to become the world’s first commercial manned space vehicle. Investor and philanthropist Paul Allen and aviation technologist Burt Rutan, head of Scaled Composites, have teamed to create the program.
If all goes according to plan, the hybrid motor-propelled rocket plane will carry its pilot some 62 miles (100 kilometers) into suborbital space above the Mojave Civilian Aerospace Test Center, a commercial airport in the California desert. Gliding to a landing strip stop, "it will signal that the space frontier is finally open to private enterprise," explains a Scaled Composites release about the flight.
Propelling an individual to such heights is no slam dunk. It’s a risk-taking proposition. In fact, one test mission of the rocket plane last year ended in a landing mishap. Nobody was hurt and the vehicle was quickly patched up to soar another day.
But as SpaceShipOne arcs its way skyward, just how wispy or long-lived of a trail will the project leave in aerospace history books? Will it be remembered as a defining moment in human spaceflight or a stunt?
Economical, reliable, safe, and routine
The suborbital rocket plane is a leading contender among a worldwide cadre of teams vying for the Ansari X Prize, patterned after the Orteig Prize that spurred American aviator Charles Lindbergh to make his historic trans-Atlantic flight in 1927.
For a group to claim the Ansari $10 million cash award, it must fly a privately financed and built craft able to propel three people up to 62.5 miles (100 kilometers) altitude, return safely to Earth, and then repeat that trip within a two week period.
"SpaceShipOne represents the expansion of the human spaceflight private sector into an area in which only government programs had previously been active," said Roger Launius, chairman of the Division of Space History at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
Launius said a key for Rutan and his team is achieving suborbital travel that is relatively economical, reliable, safe, and routine. "Unfortunately, that won't be demonstrated solely by the two X Prize flights," he said.
Point-to-point travel
But if SpaceShipOne attains economic viability, safety, and other operational goals, Launius thinks it could hasten the day of another type of public transportation: hypersonic point-to-point service on the globe.
There is great potential in a hybrid air and spaceplane that would enable ordinary people to travel between New York City and Tokyo in about one hour, Launius told SPACE.com.
"I believe the spaceplane concept has enormous promise and will find reality within the first half of the 21st Century," he said. "Most important, spaceplanes promise passengers an opportunity to travel around the globe with greater speed and ease than anything available today. In the process, these passengers will become the first space tourists. It may well be that Rutan's work may well materially advance this possibility."
While taking nothing away from Rutan and his team’s grappling with suborbital hypersonic flight, Launius underscored the fact "there is a world of difference, literally, between suborbital and orbital operations."
Government money
The role of both government and private sector in advancing aerospace technology is flagged by aviation and space historian, Thomas Crouch, Senior Curator for the National Air and Space Museum.
"The Orteig Prize inspired Lindbergh, but the single most important element of his aircraft -- the engine -- had been developed with government money," Crouch noted. "Enthusiasm is fine, but almost never enough to achieve a difficult technological goal. If it had not been for the rise of the ballistic missile and the geopolitical importance of the space race, flying to the Moon would still be only a dream," he said.
Crouch admires the effort of Rutan and his team, wishing them all the best.
"I doubt, however, that his success will mark the advent of a Golden Age of space tourism and commerce," he said.
Orbital flight: big market
The portent of private rocket ships hauling ticketed passengers to the edge of space, and eventually into Earth orbit, is another belief shored up by the succession of SpaceShipOne flights to date. But how real is that scenario?
While no government funding is normally thought of as a "good thing" by private rocketeers, it has been disastrous for public space travel, said Ivan Bekey of Bekey Designs, Inc., Annandale, Virginia.
A former NASA advanced planner and technologist, Bekey said that with government encouragement, if not material support, Rutan’s step into space could have taken place 20 years ago. "By now we could have a vibrant public space travel commercial business with many economically viable companies. After all, there is little if no new technology in the Rutan vehicle," Bekey said.
"While all the hoopla goes on, suborbital flights will never amount to a big business," Bekey added, "because the costs will be very high for the few minutes’ experience." Furthermore, the difficulties and costs are enormously larger for orbital flight, he said.
"The market surveys that have been done show that only with orbital flight, and destination places such as orbital luxury hotels, will the market be big," Bekey emphasized.
"NASA is at fault," Bekey said. Had NASA done as good a job as Rutan has, public space travel could have taken two decades ago, "and the U.S. today would be the world leader in a new space industry with a huge market," he said.
Stunt flying
SpaceShipOne’s rocket powered flight to the edge of space mimics in certain ways the suborbital trial runs of the U.S. Mercury space capsule project of the early 1960s.
For example, NASA astronaut Alan Shepard was shoe-horned into his Freedom 7 Mercury spacecraft on May 5, 1961 and hurled to an altitude of 116 statute miles by a Redstone rocket. That quick, up-and-down flight lasted all of 15 minutes, with Shepard strapped inside his capsule splashing into the Atlantic, but helped clear the way for America’s entry into orbital spaceflight the following year.
SpaceShipOne’s high-altitude run is more like Lindbergh’s "stunt" flight than Shepard’s step in a planned program of space exploration, said Jerry Grey, Director for Aerospace Policy at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).
"SpaceShip One uses appropriate hardware for a stunt flight -- simple, rugged, and adequately tested, and almost certainly qualified for the requisite second flight -- but it will probably not evolve into economical transportation for multiple flights carrying several passengers," Grey said.
Psychological and technical demonstration
Grey pointed out that the suborbital trajectory, although it does require re-entry capability, does not impose the more severe conditions of re-entry from orbit, nor does it demonstrate on-orbit control and operability.
"Hence I can't see it as the real precursor to space tourism, whereas Shepard's was clearly the precursor to Apollo," he said.
Similarly, Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, Grey said, "was a fine piece of invention and makeshift engineering, but it had little or no impact on the development of the DC-3 or even the Ford Tri-Motor, which ushered in true commercial passenger aviation."
These views aside, however, Grey saluted the SpaceShipOne project. "As a psychological and technical demonstration of what can be done in human space flight by the private sector, it will be invaluable to open the future path to true space tourism. And in itself it is a remarkable demonstration of private-sector astronautical development, as were Rutan's previous demonstrations in aeronautics."
Arthur Clarke, noted science fiction author and prognosticator of the future, had this tongue-in-cheek view of SpaceShipOne’s role in history: "I told Orville, and I told Wilbur -- it'll never get off the ground!"
http://space.com/images/rutan_spaceshipone_link_02.jpg
On the fly! White Knight totes SpaceShipOne into sky above Mojave sands in early shakeout test. CREDIT: Scaled Composites
http://space.com/images/h_spo_hybrid_02.jpg
Business end of SpaceShipOne includes hybrid rocket motor, along with a novel tail section. CREDIT: Scaled Composites
http://space.com/images/h_pete_flt_sso_02.jpg
Pilot Mike Melvill controls SpaceShipOne during sixth glide to a desert landing strip. CREDIT: Scaled Composites
http://space.com/images/h_mojave_airport_02.jpg
Mojave Airport is headed for spaceport status. Image Courtesy: Mojave Airport
http://space.com/images/h_spo_melvill_0513_02.jpg
Just after landing SpaceShipOne on May 13 flight. Pilot Mike Melvill describes the experience while Scaled Composites chief Burt Rutan and crew chief Steve Losey listen. Note color stripes on leading edge of wing to measure aerodynamic heating on the craft's thermal protection system. Scaled Composites
Big Secret: Who Will Fly SpaceShipOne?
By Leonard David
Senior Space Writer
posted: 05:15 pm ET
18 June 2004
Who is piloting the first non-governmental rocket ship in an attempt next week to fly to the edge of space?
According to sources close to the project, the decision by those in the know at Scaled Composites - operators of the privately-built SpaceShipOne - remains a tight-lipped, vacuum packed secret.
The chosen pilot - picked from among a small cadre of previously announced Scaled Composites astronauts - is to be revealed at a press conference to be held this Sunday, the day before the slated June 21st flight of the rocket plane.
The flight-worthy four are: Brian Binnie, Mike Melvill, Doug Shane, and Pete Siebold.
Of that group, Mike Melvill has chalked up the most time behind the controls of SpaceShipOne, counting captive flights, freefall glides and the last powered flight of the craft. He has worked for Burt Rutan for over 26 years and has some 24 years of experience as an experimental test pilot.
However, out of the last three rocket-powered flights, Pete Siebold, Brian Binnie, as well as Melvill have each taken their turns at punching the rocket motor start button.
http://space.com/images/h_sso_pilots_02.jpg
Left to right: Doug Shane, Mike Melvill, Pete Siebold, and Brian Binnie. CREDIT: Scaled Composites, LLC. Click to enlarge.
Viewer's Guide to Monday's First Piloted Private Space Flight
By Robert Roy Britt
Senior Science Writer
posted: 05:45 am ET
18 June 2004
The public is invited to watch history made Monday when a company called Scaled Composites attempts to launch the first piloted commercial vehicle into space.
Event planners expect a cosmic Woodstock. Motels in the area are mostly booked and plans are in place for an all-night party. The flight of SpaceShipOne from an airport-turned-spaceport in California's Mojave Desert is scheduled to begin shortly after 9:30 a.m. ET (6:30 local time).
MSNBC.com plans to offer a live webcast. Event officials said CNN will broadcast the launch on television, but CNN programming officials did not reply to a request to confirm that.
Radio station KLOA 104.9 plans a live audio webcast of the flight that will begin with traffic and weather reports at 8 a.m. ET (5 a.m. local time). Radio-only broadcasts are planned by local stations KGET 970 and KGOV.
SPACE.com will have reporters at the scene providing updates over the weekend and during the flight.
Flight plan
Scaled Composite officials expect a smooth flight, but anyone who follows the space industry knows that every flight has inherent risks.
In fact SpaceShipOne had a landing mishap during a test flight in September. There were no injuries and the craft was not significantly damaged when it slid off the runway.
Weather permitting, the craft will be carried aloft aboard the White Knight, a somewhat conventional airplane built specially for this purpose. An hour after taking off from the Mojave Airport, at about 50,000 feet, the White Knight will release SpaceShipOne, whose pilot will fire a rocket, powered by rubber and laughing gas, for about 80 seconds.
SpaceShipOne should soar to 62 miles (100 kilometers), crossing the threshold of space on a suborbital trajectory. The pilot, who has not yet been named, would officially become an astronaut.
According to plan, the craft will spend about three minutes in weightlessness, then glide back to Earth. It will land about 1 hour and 25 minutes after the initial takeoff in the same location.
The launch is planned for early morning because winds tend to pick up later in the day. Weather could scrub the launch, possibly pushing it back a day or more.
Viewing tips
A public viewing area will include loudspeakers to announce aspect of the flight that can't be seen from the ground. Much of event will be visible to the naked eye, but binoculars are recommended.
Event planners say traffic congestion could be heavy in the predawn hours before launch. There are a handful of motels in the town of Mojave, which is about 75 miles north of Los Angeles. Camping will be permitted at the Mojave Airport for Saturday and Sunday nights. The airport is closed to incoming air traffic.
SpaceShipOne was built by Burt Rutan, considered an engineering master in the industry.
"Without the entrepreneur approach, space access would continue to be out of reach for ordinary citizens," Rutan said. "The SpaceShipOne flights will change all that and encourage others to usher in a new, low-cost era in space travel."
With the support of wealthy investor Paul Allen, Rutan's company, Scaled Composites, is seeking also to win the $10 million Ansari X Prize. The winner must use a privately built vehicle to transport three people 62 miles (100 kilometers) above Earth twice within two weeks.
Monday's planned flight is one in a series of tests to prepare Scaled Composites for a run at the prize. A May 13 test flight took SpaceShipOne to 40 miles (64.4 kilometers).
More than 20 teams have registered to compete for the purse, and some besides Rutan's group are running test flights. Analysts say the money might be claimed by the end of this summer. The cash offer expires Jan. 1, 2005.
Filling up
A list of services in the Mojave area, along with other details of the event, are available at Scaled Composite's web site. Expect a difficult search for a place to stay, however.
Calls Thursday morning to 11 motels in the town of Mojave found only one, the Friendship Inn, had a room available Sunday night. Some motels were also booked solid in Rosamond, 15 miles away and in Tehachapi, 20 miles from Mojave. Others said they expect to have rooms but are not taking reservations.
A few rooms were available 30 miles away in Lancaster, but the reservation attendant at one motel there said dozens of room requests had been made in recent days because the town of Mojave was filling up.
Paul Allen: Private Spaceflight's Financier
By Leonard David
Senior Space Writer
posted: 10:42 am ET
20 June 2004
Private spaceships need private money. It’s no different for the design, building and testing of SpaceShipOne, now undergoing final checks for a public shakeout Monday over the Mojave Desert in California.
While SpaceShipOne uses a hybrid rocket motor gassed up with nitrous oxide and rubber, it also takes lots of hard cash to fuel the project.
SpaceShipOne is a product of Scaled Composites, led by aeronautical innovator, Burt Rutan. The aerospace research company is located at Mojave Airport.
While the craft and the existence of a commercial, piloted space program were revealed by Rutan in April of last year, the person who was backing the venture with cash was a deep secret.
The man turned out to be investor and philanthropist, Paul G. Allen. He has quietly footed the bill on the work, joining forces with Rutan back in March of 2001. It was only in December of last year – when SpaceShipOne first cracked the sound barrier – that the long-rumored sponsor broke the silence barrier.
But how much money Allen has shelled out on SpaceShipOne remains hush-hush.
Spirit of innovation
Allen is not a new arrival when it comes to innovation, technology, space exploration – and spending his cash.
Allen co-founded Microsoft Corporation with Bill Gates in 1975 and served as the company's executive vice president of research and new product development, the company's senior technology post, until 1983.
Today, Allen owns and invests in a suite of companies, with a portfolio focus on digital communications, new media, biotechnology, and entertainment. His primary companies include Vulcan Inc. of Seattle, Washington.
One of the top 15 philanthropists in America, Allen explains that the private rocket plane initiative captures the spirit of creativity and exploration seen in aviation.
"SpaceShipOne is a tangible example of continuing humankind’s efforts to travel into space, and effectively demonstrating that private, non-government resources can make a big difference in this field of discovery and invention," Allen explained the day he was spotlighted as backer of the venture.
SETI supporter
Allen’s interest in space goes well beyond the bounds of the suborbital. One could say his passion for out-of-this-world projects can be measured in astronomical units too.
Last March, the SETI Institute announced that Allen had committed $13.5 million to support the construction of the first and second phases of a unique, multiple use radio telescope array. The SETI Institute is a leading astrobiology institution with the mission of exploring the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe.
The hardware project is branded as the Allen Telescope Array (ATA).
When construction is completed late in the decade, the ATA will eventually consist of a cluster of 350 20-foot (6.1-meter) dishes. A slice of the full-up ATA is scheduled to begin conducting scientific investigations by the end of this year - making use of 32 dishes.
As part of its duties, the ATA will search for possible signals from technologically advanced civilizations elsewhere in the galaxy. The ATA is a partnership between the SETI Institute and the Radio Astronomy Laboratory (RAL) of the University of California, Berkeley.
Construction of the ATA is underway at the Hat Creek Observatory, northeast of San Francisco on a site operated by the RAL and in an area that is "radio quiet" – meaning there is a reduced level of interfering signals from human-produced sources.
Changing the landscape
The SETI announcement in March follows the successful completion of a three-year research and development phase which was originally funded by an $11.5 million gift from the Allen Foundation.
"I am very excited to be supporting one of the world's most visionary efforts to seek basic answers to some of the fundamental question about our universe and what other civilizations may exist elsewhere," Allen explained in a press statement.
Allen said he was a big proponent of leveraging revolutionary technology and design and applying it to important problems in science. The developments taking place with the ATA will not only enable "a lot of bang for our research and development buck," but it will also change the landscape of how telescopes will be built in the future, he stated.
"An instrument of this magnitude, which will result in the expansion of our understanding of how the universe was formed, and how it has evolved, and our place therein, is the reason I am the primary supporter of its development, design and construction," Allen said.
Seeing through Purple Haze
While backing space ships and listening for alien intelligence, he’s involved in a personal array of other undertakings.
For one, Allen’s early admiration of science fiction has manifested itself in The Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame. It opens in Seattle on June 18.
Allen’s view is that sci-fi inspires critical thinking about society, history, culture and politics. The new collection has been created "to inspire new generations to reach beyond the present, imagine the future and explore the infinite possibilities of the universe," according to a museum press statement.
Then there’s the Experience Music Project (EMP), a 140,000-square-foot interactive music museum located at the Seattle Center. Also founded by Allen, this activity was spurred by his early fervor for legendary rock musician, Jimi Hendrix. The result: Amassing the world's largest collection of Hendrix memorabilia.
The Hendrix album of 1967, Are You Experienced?, contains the song "Purple Haze" that proclaims: "'Scuse me while I kiss the sky".
Jimi Hendrix envisioned a place that he called Sky Church, Allen notes, where all people, regardless of age, background or interests, could come together to celebrate music. EMP's Sky Church brings this idea to life.
EMP's collection includes more than 80,000 artifacts that helped shape music history, including musical instruments used by artists such as Bob Dylan, Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters and Kurt Cobain.
Complete coverage: http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/sso_rutan_archive.html
Pilot Announced on Eve of Private Space Mission
By Leonard David
Senior Space Writer
posted: 09:00 pm ET
20 June 2004
MOJAVE, CALIFORNIA – All is in readiness here for the first non-governmental flight to leave the Earth's atmosphere.
If weather and technology cooperate, the White Knight carrier craft is to tote the privately-built SpaceShipOne high above desert and mountain surroundings Monday morning, then cut free the craft for a rocket-powered assault on the sky.
Thousands of spectators and hundreds of journalists are flooding into this small desert community, prepared to witness firsthand the record-setting event.
Making it affordable to fly
"Showtime," explained Burt Rutan, chief of Scaled Composites, and aviation legend at a press briefing today.
Asked about the meaning behind the SpaceShipOne project, Rutan is quick to answer.
"The significance is the realization that, hey, this is for us to do now. This is not only for government to do. So I believe our real significance of this program is that realization…and I believe that realization will attract investment. And that realization will attract a whole bunch of activity. And very soon, it’ll be affordable for you to fly," Rutan told reporters.
Mike Melvill at the controls
Rutan announced at the press briefing that 62-year-old Mike Melvill has been selected to make Monday’s record-setting run to the edge of space. Melvill is a test pilot and vice president/general manager at Scaled Composites, LLC.
Melvill was at the controls of SpaceShipOne’s last flight in May. He has a number of aviation records to his name.
"I am very, very flattered to have been chosen for this, Melvill explained, picked from a small cadre of Scaled Composite astronaut candidates. "I just got the luck of the short straw, or the long straw…whatever it is."
"I’m delighted to do it. I enjoyed the last flight. I’m hoping this will be an exact repetition, just a little higher, a little faster. I’m looking forward to it very, very much. And I’m ready to go…I am ready to go! And we are going to win the X Prize. Put your money on it," Melvill said.
New page in aviation history books
Paul Allen, financial backer of the project was also at the media-packed briefing held at the Mojave Airport, takeoff site for the White Knight/SpaceShipOne vehicles. He saluted the creativity and dedication of the Scaled Composites team.
"Tomorrow we will attempt to add a new page to the aviation history books. If our attempt is successful, SpaceShipOne will be the first privately-funded spaceship to reach suborbital space. SpaceShipOne’s pilot will become the first civilian pilot to ever cross the boundary of space in a completely privately funded vehicle," Allen said.
Allen said that he has spent "in excess of $20 million on the project.
"I guess there is a theme with a number of my projects. I try to do things that should be done," Allen told SPACE.com. "I’m looking to do things that are crying out to be done, but haven’t been done," he said.
Fun while doing research
Paul Allen’s money has given Rutan free reign to design and build the Scaled Composites suborbital dream machine.
"This has allowed us to develop a complete manned space program from scratch for the price of one of those government paper studies," Rutan noted. "I’m so proud of that it brings tears to my eyes, it really does," he added choking back his emotions.
"It’s a unique opportunity to have fun. Having fun while doing pure research is heaven for me," Rutan said.
There were a number of hints from Rutan regarding still-secretive plans for moving beyond suborbital rocketry. Asked if SpaceShipOne is scalable, Rutan tossed out one word: "Yes."
Rutan said that flying SpaceShipOne on its suborbital flight is, indeed, barnstorming…just like the early airplanes.
"However, we’re heading to orbit sooner than you think. And we know it’s crucial to dramatically reduce the cost. We do not plan to stay in low Earth orbit for decades, but to enable high adventure and exploration as soon as the new technologies allow."
"So hold on. The next 25 years will be a wild ride, that’s my prediction," Rutan said.
MONDAY, JUNE 21, 2004
1319 GMT (9:19 a.m. EDT)
Mission officials report that pre-launch activities are on schedule this morning. The weather is favorable with clear skies and winds that appear to be easing.
MONDAY, JUNE 21, 2004
1327 GMT (9:27 a.m. EDT)
The White Knight aircraft has started its engines. All systems are "go" for launch. Takeoff is now expected within the next half-hour.
MONDAY, JUNE 21, 2004
1337 GMT (9:37 a.m. EDT)
White Knight and SpaceShipOne duo have emerged from the hangar, rolling past spectators to reach the runway in preparation for takeoff from the Mojave Airport a short time from now.
Pilot Mike Melvill has one of SpaceShipOne's portholes open and is waving to the cheering crowds.
MONDAY, JUNE 21, 2004
1341 GMT (9:41 a.m. EDT)
A small, red chase plane has just taken off.
l'hanno lanciato?come sta andando?
1345 GMT (9:45 a.m. EDT)
A larger chase plane is now airborne.
MONDAY, JUNE 21, 2004
1347 GMT (9:47 a.m. EDT)
TAKEOFF! The journey of SpaceShipOne is underway as the White Knight carrier aircraft departs the runway at Mojave Airport, California. SpaceShipOne is strapped to the underside of White Knight to be ferried about 46,000 feet above the desert for launch roughly an hour from now.
MONDAY, JUNE 21, 2004
1400 GMT (10:00 a.m. EDT)
White Knight is climbing to the launch altitude by making wide circles over Mojave.
This twin-engine turbojet craft made its first flight in August 2001.
In addition to being the mothership to launch SpaceShipOne today, the White Knight's flying characteristics -- thrust-to-weight ratio and speed brakes -- allow it to be used as a flight simulator for SpaceShipOne pilot training.
Live coverage: http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsa/n5ctrl/live/now1.ram
1408 GMT (10:08 a.m. EDT)
The White Knight/SpaceShipOne duo is now about 25,000 feet over California, heading for the launch spot nearly 50,000 feet up.
1412 GMT (10:12 a.m. EDT)
Officials report everything is going smoothly this morning. "So far, so good," Dick Rutan says.
1417 GMT (10:17 a.m. EDT)
It is now 30 minutes into the hour-long flight of the carrier aircraft to reach launch altitude for SpaceShipOne.
Powerful Air Force radars are being used to track today's launch and provide an independent report on the actual altitude reached during SpaceShipOne's attempt to reach space.
1426 GMT (10:26 a.m. EDT)
The craft are directly over the viewing site now, leaving a long, white trail across the sky. They are on the final easterly leg of the climb to altitude. They will be turning to a westerly heading for the launch.
1436 GMT (10:36 a.m. EDT)
Altitude is now 33,000 feet and all systems remain "go" for launch.
1442 GMT (10:42 a.m. EDT)
Controllers say launch is about 8 minutes away.
sembra una astronave della fantascienza anni '50 :p
1443 GMT (10:43 a.m. EDT)
Crowds at Mojave are having a hard time spotting the craft now.
1448 GMT (10:48 a.m. EDT)
Officials now say three minutes remain in the countdown.
1449 GMT (10:49 a.m. EDT)
Go for release!
1450 GMT (10:50 a.m. EDT)
DROP! SpaceShipOne has been released from the White Knight mothership.
1450 GMT (10:50 a.m. EDT)
SpaceShipOne pilot Mike Melvill has put the craft in a nose-up orientation for the vertical climb to space.
1450 GMT (10:50 a.m. EDT)
IGNITION! The rocket engine on SpaceShipOne has fired to life, propelling the craft on its history-making trek to become the first private human spaceflight.
1451 GMT (10:51 a.m. EDT)
The vehicle is soaring straight up, rapidly accelerating!
1451 GMT (10:51 a.m. EDT)
T+plus 45 seconds. Engine continues to fire.
1452 GMT (10:52 a.m. EDT)
The engine firing has been completed. SpaceShipOne is now coasting to altitude.
1452 GMT (10:52 a.m. EDT)
Mike Melvill is talking to controllers as his historic flight continues.
1456 GMT (10:56 a.m. EDT)
Edwards Air Force Base is feeding live radar tracking data to the controllers.
1455 GMT (10:55 a.m. EDT)
Melvill is now pulling 5 g's.
1455 GMT (10:55 a.m. EDT)
SpaceShipOne is now 316,000 feet in altitude.
1454 GMT (10:54 a.m. EDT)[/B]
Ground controllers say everything is going according to plan.
1453 GMT (10:53 a.m. EDT)
The pilot is not reporting any problems.
1458 GMT (10:58 a.m. EDT)
"A pencil-thick contrail that went straight up" is how the launch was described from Mojave.
1457 GMT (10:57 a.m. EDT)
The top altitude reached is not yet known. About 62.5 miles was the target.
1459 GMT (10:59 a.m. EDT)
The descent continues. Altitude is now roughly 30,000 feet. SpaceShipOne will glide to landing on the runway like an airplane.
1502 GMT (11:02 a.m. EDT)
The chase aircraft says the aft end of SpaceShipOne -- around the rocket engine -- looks good. Some thermal effects on the nose are also reported.
se vi può interessare ne parlavano in un articolo sul numero di maggio di Le Scienze assieme ad altri progetti concorrenti
1504 GMT (11:04 a.m. EDT)
Crowds are now eagerly awaiting the landing, and news on the apogee -- or highest altitude reached.
1506 GMT (11:06 a.m. EDT)
Officials say SpaceShipOne reached 62 miles today! The Guinness Book of World Records flew a representative to Mojave today to verify the data from Air Force tracking radar.
1509 GMT (11:09 a.m. EDT)
SpaceShipOne is in view from the ground as it glides to landing.
1511 GMT (11:11 a.m. EDT)
Dick Rutan says Melvill reporting hearing three large bangs during the flight. But the chase planes have examined SpaceShipOne and the craft looks OK.
1512 GMT (11:12 a.m. EDT)
SpaceShipOne is banking around to the south for touchdown on Runway 30.
1513 GMT (11:13 a.m. EDT)
Surface winds are down the runway at 5 knots.
1513 GMT (11:13 a.m. EDT)
Approval has been given for landing gear deploy.
1514 GMT (11:14 a.m. EDT)
The landing gear is down!
1514 GMT (11:14 a.m. EDT)
TOUCHDOWN! SpaceShipOne has returned to Earth safely.
1515 GMT (11:15 a.m. EDT)
SpaceShipOne has rolled to a stop on the Mojave Runway with Burt Rutan and Paul Allen pumping their fists in the air.
1516 GMT (11:16 a.m. EDT)
White Knight is making a low-altitude flyby down the runway.
1517 GMT (11:17 a.m. EDT)
SpaceShipOne will be towed to a viewing location shortly. A news conference is expected a little later today.
1520 GMT (11:20 a.m. EDT)
To recap, the SpaceShipOne flew a safe, 24-minute free-flight today above Mojave, California. With its engine blasting the tiny craft skyward, SpaceShipOne rocketed to an unofficial altitude of 62 miles where the edge of space begins. Pilot Mike Melvill then brought the vehicle to a smooth touchdown on the same runway where the historic mission began.
1524 GMT (11:24 a.m. EDT)
Crews have begun to tow SpaceShipOne from the runway to the viewing spot for spectators and the press to see the craft up close following its voyage today.
1526 GMT (11:26 a.m. EDT)
Melvill has his hand out the porthole waving to the crowd and flashing a thumbs-up sign. The craft is being towed down the runway by a pickup truck.
1528 GMT (11:28 a.m. EDT)
Mike Melvill has climbed out of SpaceShipOne! He is hugging the VIPs and celebrations continue.
1531 GMT (11:31 a.m. EDT)
He says he was weightless for three-to-three-and-a-half minutes.
"The flight was spectacular."
"I feel great. I really do."
"It was absolutely amazing!" Melvill tells reporters at the runway.
Un up per l'historical event! :sofico:
1537 GMT (11:37 a.m. EDT)
A post-flight press conference is expected in about 90 minutes.
Success! SpaceShipOne Makes History with First Manned Private Spaceflight
By Leonard David
Senior Space Writer
posted: 11:20 am ET
21 June 2004
MOJAVE, CALIFORNIA – The first non-governmental rocket ship has successfully flown to the edge of space, piloted to a safe landing on a desert airport runway here.
Civilian test pilot, now turned astronaut, Mike Melvill, brought SpaceShipOne down to a Mojave Airport tarmac after flying some 100 kilometers (62 miles) in altitude, leaving the Earth’s atmosphere during his history-making sub-orbital space ride.
SpaceShipOne's pioneering flight lasted some 25 minutes after being released from the White Knight carrier craft. The jet-powered aircraft took SpaceShipOne to 47,000 feet, taking roughly an hour to reach that altitude.
Roaring to life
Once set free, and after a few seconds of glide control, Melvill ignited SpaceShipOne’s hybrid rocket motor. From the ground, flame and smoke could be seen as the rocket plane roared to life and shot upward through Mojave desert skies.
Slicing skyward and outside the Earth’s atmosphere, the vehicle and pilot spent about three minutes in freefall weightlessness. During the reentry process, Melvill flipped SpaceShipOne’s large tail section up, a step needed to slow the vehicle down as it nosed itself toward a terra firma touchdown.
After the speed-reducing maneuver, SpaceShipOne’s tail piece was put back into glide mode. The vehicle circled overhead as thousands of onlookers cheered. The craft landed directly in front of a public viewing area on the same runway on which it took off about 1 hour and 25 minutes earlier.
Step-by-step test program
Scaled Composites, designer and builder of the rocket plane, say the successful mission will "demonstrate that the space frontier is finally open to private enterprise."
"This event could be the breakthrough that will enable space access for future generations," a pre-launch Scaled Composites press statement explains.
Microsoft co-founder turned investor and philanthropist, Paul Allen is the behind-the-scenes financial backer of the project, joining forces with aviation designer, Burt Rutan, chief of Scaled Composites.
High-altitude record
Since the White Knight carrier plane first took to the air in early August 2002, a step-by-step test program has been instituted by Scaled Composites. To date, given today’s success, there have been 57 flights of hardware associated with this morning’s mission of SpaceShipOne.
The rocket plane itself has now undertaken a series of 14 piloted captive carry, free-flight, and four engine-powered missions. Today’s event marked the highest-altitude ever reached by a non-government aerospace program.
SpaceShipOne project officials have already begun gearing up for flying back-to-back missions of the craft in order to snag the $10 million Ansari X Prize. This international competition can be won by the first team to create a reusable aircraft that can launch three passengers into sub-orbital space, return them safely home, then repeat the launch within two weeks with the same vehicle.
Le foto:
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Avete notato lo stile? Non è un po' retrò? Però è carino! Ricorda le astronavi dei film / fumetti anni '60... :D
non importa se sembra uscito da flash gordon mi basta che voli e che ripeta il volo almeno un altro paio di volte allora dimostrera di essere un alternativa affidabile,ciao.
:confused: :confused: Chi mi fa un riassunto in italiano?
Originariamente inviato da I19026
:confused: :confused: Chi mi fa un riassunto in italiano?
mi sà che devi chiedere a giofx in fondo a aperto lui la discussione,ciao.
1722 GMT (1:22 p.m. EDT)
The top altitude reached was 328,491 feet, which is right at the threshold of space. That makes Mike Melvill an astronaut, and he is receiving his commemorative wings in a ceremony underway right now.
1727 GMT (1:27 p.m. EDT)
The altitude target was 100 km to reach what is considered the edge of space. The SpaceShipOne vehicle reached 100.1241 km today, reporters are being told.
1750 GMT (1:50 p.m. EDT)
The following statement was issued by NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe on today's private, non-government flight of SpaceShipOne:
"We applaud the remarkable achievement of Burt Rutan, Paul Allen and test pilot Mike Melvill following the first successful suborbital flight of SpaceShipOne.
"Not unlike the first U.S. and Soviet space travelers in 1961, and China's first successful spaceflight this year, these private citizens are pioneers in their own right. They are doing much to open the door to a new marketplace offering the experience of weightlessness and suborbital space flight to the public.
"We congratulate the SpaceShipOne team and wish all those who may follow safe flights."
Originariamente inviato da GioFX
1722 GMT (1:22 p.m. EDT)
The top altitude reached was 328,491 feet, which is right at the threshold of space. That makes Mike Melvill an astronaut, and he is receiving his commemorative wings in a ceremony underway right now.
1727 GMT (1:27 p.m. EDT)
The altitude target was 100 km to reach what is considered the edge of space. The SpaceShipOne vehicle reached 100.1241 km today, reporters are being told.
1750 GMT (1:50 p.m. EDT)
The following statement was issued by NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe on today's private, non-government flight of SpaceShipOne:
"We applaud the remarkable achievement of Burt Rutan, Paul Allen and test pilot Mike Melvill following the first successful suborbital flight of SpaceShipOne.
"Not unlike the first U.S. and Soviet space travelers in 1961, and China's first successful spaceflight this year, these private citizens are pioneers in their own right. They are doing much to open the door to a new marketplace offering the experience of weightlessness and suborbital space flight to the public.
"We congratulate the SpaceShipOne team and wish all those who may follow safe flights."
traduzione con gensoft(quindi non vi scandalizzate);1722 GMT (1:22 di sera EDT)
L'altitudine di cima arrivata era 328,491 piedi che sono corretti alla soglia di spazio. Quello fa di Mike Melvill un astronauta, e lui sta ricevendo adesso le sue ali commemorative in una cerimonia in preparazione.
1727 GMT (1:27 di sera EDT)
L'obiettivo di altitudine era 100 km per arrivare quello che è considerato l'orlo di spazio. Il veicolo di SpaceShipOne giunse a 100.1241 km oggi, reporter sono detti.
1750 GMT (1:50 di sera EDT)
Lo statement seguente fu pubblicato da Nasa Amministratore Sean O'Keefe su oggi privato, volo di non-governo di SpaceShipOne:
"Noi applaudiamo il conseguimento straordinario di Burt Rutan, Paul Allen e prova che pilota Mike Melvill che seguono il primo suborbital riuscito migrano di SpaceShipOne.
"Non diversamente da primi Stati Uniti e soviet viaggiatori spaziali nel 1961, ed il primo spaceflight riuscito di Cina questo anno, questi cittadini privati sono pionieri nella loro propria destra. Loro stanno facendo molto per aprire la porta ad un mercato nuovo che offre l'esperienza di weightlessness e suborbital spazi volo al pubblico.
"Noi ci congratuliamo con la squadra di SpaceShipOne ed auguriamo tutti quelli che possono seguire voli sicuri."
SpaceShipOne rockets into history
BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: June 21, 2004
MOJAVE, Calif. - A privately-built rocket plane soared into space today, boosting a 63-year-old test pilot on a thrilling, at times scary ride out of Earth's discernible atmosphere and into history as the first non government-sponsored astronaut.
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Melvill climbs from SpaceShipOne after landing as Allen approaches. Credit: William Harwood
The successful voyage sets the stage for a possible attempt later this summer to win the coveted Ansari X-Prize, a $10 million award that will go to the first team that can launch a privately developed, manned craft on sub-orbital flights to space twice in two weeks.
But SpaceShipOne, funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and built by legendary aircraft designer Burt Rutan, will not fly again until Rutan's team of pilots and engineers figures out what triggered the failure of a critical flight control system during the climb to space.
"There is no way we would fly again without knowing the cause and without assuring we have totally fixed it because it's a very critical system," Rutan told reporters later. He called it "the most serious flight safety systems problem that we have had in entire program."
Based on a preliminary analysis of flight data, engineers believe a component called a trim actuator failed, causing the sleek rocket plane to suddenly roll as it streaked through the extreme upper atmosphere.
Pilot Mike Melvill quickly activated a backup system that "saved the day," but by the time the roll problem was corrected, SpaceShipOne was off course. It re-entered the atmosphere 22 miles from its planned 5-by-5 mile re-entry zone.
The malfunction also reduced the efficiency of the climb to space, preventing SpaceShipOne from reaching its planned altitude of 360,000 feet, or 68 miles. Instead, Melvill climbed to 328,491 feet, or 62.214 miles, Rutan said, just a few hundred feet above the altitude considered to be the edge of space.
But that was enough to earn Melvill his commercial astronaut wings from the Department of Transportation and recognition by the Guiness World Records organization as the first privately funded manned spaceflight.
And it was more than enough to convincingly demonstrate that relatively low-cost access to space is no longer the stuff of science fiction. With an investment of less than $30 million, Rutan built, tested and launched a true spacecraft in just three years.
But the trim actuator malfunction and another unexpected roll excursion just after motor ignition also demonstrated anew that spaceflight is a risky business and that the margin between success and failure can be slim.
"It was not a nominal flight," Rutan said at the beginning of a post-flight news conference. "The altitude that I indicated we would probably go to yesterday, we didn't go to.
"It was no big deal in terms of safety and no big deal in terms of getting it back to the runway we like to land on. But it was not a smooth flight from the standpoint of trajectory. The good news is that even though we were that far off and even though we had some issues in the early stage of the boost, which meant that we weren't flying as efficiently, we did get there. Small margins, but we got there."
All in all, it was a triumphant moment for Rutan, Allen, Melvill and the small cadre of engineers and pilots at Rutan's company, Scaled Composites, who worked around the clock in relative obscurity to build the first commercial spacecraft.
"It was very exciting," Melvill said. "I must say, I wasn't scared, I was a little nervous when I got in the airplane, but I was not afraid all the way up. But I was a little afraid on the way down. Boy, when you re-enter at 2.9 Mach and you start hitting the atmosphere, the noises you hear are somebody talking to you very, very sharply. You know, you begin to believe, wow, should I really be doing this?"
But in true right-stuff fashion, Melvill adroitly handled the roll problems and took a few moments to enjoy the view and three-and-a-half minutes of weightlessness as SpaceShipOne arced over the top of its trajectory before falling back to Earth.
"The sky was jet black above and it gets very light blue along the horizon," he said. "And the Earth is so beautiful, the colors of the Earth, the colors of the high desert and along the coastline and all that fog or low stratus that's over LA looked exactly like snow, the glinting and the gleaming of the sun on that low cloud looked to me exactly like snow.
"And it was really an awesome sight, I mean it was like nothing I've ever seen before. And it blew me away, it really did. ... You really do feel like you can reach out and touch the face of God, believe me."
Like all rookie astronauts, Melvill couldn't resist a bit of fun with M&Ms in his brief moments of weightlessness.
After firing small gas thrusters to stabilize the craft, "I reached in my pocket and I took out some candy coated chocolates, all different colors, and let them go in front of my face," Melvill said. "And they just spun around like little sparking things. And I was so blown away, I couldn't even fly the airplane. I got another handful and threw them out as well."
"We were trying to talk to you and never heard an answer," Rutan broke in with a smile.
"Yeah, right," Melvill replied. He then noted for the record that M&M candy "doesn't melt in your hand but neither does it melt in space."
Peter Diamandis, chairman of the Ansari X-Prize board of trustees, hailed the flight as the dawn of a new era in space travel.
"It's an amazing day and a real tribute to the Scaled team, Paul Allen, his entire organization," he said. "Of course, this is a warm up for the Ansari X-Prize from one perspective, but a historic event for all Americans, all entrepreneurs, to everyone who's ever dreamed and had passion to go into space from the Earth.
"This is something that should have happened 20 years ago and thank God it's happening, finally, today."
America's government space agency - NASA - congratulated Rutan, Allen and Melvill after the flight. Astronaut Mike Fincke, orbiting aboard the international space station, was told about the launch by mission control in Houston.
"Fantastic!" he replied. "We were wishing him the best of luck. We're all in the space business together, helping mankind get off the planet and explore the stars."
Said NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe: "We applaud the remarkable achievement of Burt Rutan, Paul Allen and test pilot Mike Melvill following the successful sub-orbital flight of SpaceShipOne. ... These private citizens are pioneers in their own right."
The mission began shortly after dawn in California's high desert, after blustery winds died down at Mojave's civilian airport. Tens of thousands of spectators turned out, along with hundreds of reporters and photographers, to witness the trail-blazing flight.
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A vast crowd of reporters and photographers was on hand to cover the SpaceShipOne mission. Credit: William Harwood
Acknowledging the crowd, Melvill opened a small window and waved as SpaceShipOne, slung below the Rutan-designed White Knight carrier plane, taxied toward the far end of runway 30.
"When we taxied out, I was absolutely in a state of shock at the amount of people standing along the fences screaming and yelling and waving," Melvill said. "But it was great, you know, it makes you feel good, it makes you feel like you're doing something people are interested in and I'm just thankful that we were successful and everybody enjoyed the day."
As always during a test flight, he was wearing his lucky horseshoe, a piece of jewelry he designed and presented to his girlfriend when she was 16 years old. The two were married when she was 17 and have been together now for 48 years.
Preceded by two chase planes, White Knight pilot Brian Binnie opened the throttles, raced down runway 30 and lifted off at 9:47 a.m. EDT (1347 GMT). Another chase plane, this one also a jet, took off a few moments later to document the high-altitude portion of flight.
Climbing slowly away, it took White Knight about hour to reach the planned drop point 46,000 feet above the sun-drenched airport.
"When we took off from the ground with Brian driving the White Knight, there's very little for me to do at that point," Melvill said. "It's a pretty lonely time, actually, not too many people talking to you and you're sitting there with a lot of thoughts in your head, wondering if everything is going to go smoothly."
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White Knight prepares for takeoff with SpaceShipOne. Credit: William Harwood
But the action picked up as White Knight climbed through 43,000 feet and Binnie started calling out checklist items to prepare SpaceShipOne for launch. Melvill adjusted the craft's roll, pitch and yaw trim to ensure the proper orientation for rocket ignition and broke a copper wire preventing an inadvertent launch.
Then, after a short countdown, SpaceShipOne dropped away from White Knight at 10:50 a.m. EDT (1450 GMT).
"I was ready to go," Melvill said. "When I dropped off, I instantly unguarded both switches. I hit the arm switch, hit the fire switch and sat back and waited. It takes about maybe a second, 1.2 seconds, and it lights off."
SpaceShipOne's hybrid motor was loaded with enough rubber fuel - about 600 pounds - and enough liquefied nitrous oxide - 3,020 pounds - to boost the ship to an altitude of 420,000 feet, or 79.5 miles. The actual target of 360,000 feet was set as part of Rutan's incremental approach to flight testing a new craft.
At motor ignition, Melvill was slammed back with 3 Gs of force. At the same time, he was plastered down into his seat with 4 Gs, "which is very, very disorienting. You feel like you're falling over on your back and you have to guard against that. And then I follow a predictor that's on (a cockpit) display that leads me up."
With the rocket firing, he said, "we're really hauling the mail. You get the feeling that if you did anything wrong there, you might really hurt yourself. So you're paying attention about as strongly as you possibly can to keeping things perfectly true and upright.
"There's a lot going on and it all happens in a very, very short space of time. So it is difficult to do. And it couldn't be done without the comprehensive training that we do. We go through hundreds and hundreds of simulations. I mean if somebody, even a good pilot, jumped in that thing he would be instantly dead if he lit the rocket. Instantly."
Melvill's long hours of training paid off when "there were a couple of things that happened that were unusual compared to the last flight."
"This time, right after I lit the motor, the airplane by itself rolled 90 degrees left. I stomped on the rudder pedal and put in some control and it rolled 90 degrees right. And it's never, ever done that before. So at that point, I was kind of reaching for the switch to shut (the engine) down in case I was going to lose control. But I was able to get it back, get it leveled up and started trimming the nose up to pick up the proper gamma, the angle of climb, which is nearly to the vertical.
"Then it was pretty smooth ride after that," Melvill continued. "Then when the engine runs out of liquid fuel, it starts using the remaining gaseous fuel. So you get this chugging feeling where its using some liquid, it's using the gas, it's using some liquid. So you get a lot of thrust and then half the thrust, then a lot of thrust. So that's a bit disconcerting because the airplane pitches a little bit when it's doing that and you've got to try to deal with that.
"Then right up at the top of it, I tried to trim the nose up a bit more to just get a little more height and that's when I had the anomaly with the trim system and then I had to deal with that through the backup."
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This file image shows a previous test launch of SpaceShipOne. Credit: Scaled Composites
When flying below the speed of sound, pilots control SpaceShipOne by moving a conventional "stick" that repositions the craft's elevons. But in supersonic flight, "you can no longer move the stick, it's like it's welded to the airplane," Melvill explained. "So I have to fly it using pitch, roll and yaw trim and I had a roll trim problem. We had a backup for that system, I went to the backup and the backup saved the day."
Rutan said the trim system used on SpaceShipOne is similar to systems used routinely by Lear jets and commercial airliners.
"But the failure of trim on an airliner or a Lear jet, if it sticks there, in general you can fly it back and land safely," Rutan said. "In this case, we have one on one side and one on the other side and so if they get out of sync, then you're out of control in roll rather than pitch. So it's a little more sensitive and that's why we have these backup systems."
He said his team of engineers will be "very careful taking the ship apart to make sure we don't cover up something by not studying it properly.
"But we believe that we lost one of those trim actuators, like it became inoperative, which means when we tried to trim in pitch, we got a lot of roll going," he said. "While Mike was in space, he took the other one and leveled it up so that during re-entry we would not be out of trim in roll."
For re-entry, Melvill also feathered SpaceShipOne's wing, rotating it to an angle of 65 degrees with respect to the fuselage of the spacecraft. A Rutan innovation, the feathered wing creates enormous aerodynamic drag, causing the rocket plane to make a "care-free" re-entry that doesn't require a precise angle of attack.
The feather system worked flawlessly and Melvill said "I headed back to Mojave as fast as I could reasonably fly the airplane without hurting anything."
"It was very comfortable," he said. "The descent after that was great except I had no use of the trim system. It may have worked, some of it may have worked, but I was afraid to touch it. So I just flew with the trim setting I had at the time. And the landing was pretty uneventful."
Rutan and Allen, who monitored the mission from "mission control" in a Scaled Composites hangar, were waiting for Melvill on the runway as SpaceShipOne glided back to the same runway it used for takeoff, touching down at 11:14 a.m. (1514 GMT). The rocket plane was towed to a viewing site on a taxiway just in front of reporters and Melvill promptly climbed out.
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After hugging Allen and Rutan, Melvill told reporters "it was a mind-blowing experience, it really was, absolutely an awesome thing."
Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon, also was on hand to greet the new astronaut "and to have him come up and shake my hand and congratulate me and tell me I'd joined the club, that was serious stuff, man," Melvill said.
Rutan said a loud "bang" heard by Melvill during his sub-orbital flight may have been caused by the crumpling of a thin fairing near the rocket motor's exhaust nozzle. Today's flight marked the first use of a larger nozzle and the fairing was intended to provide a very slight improvement in aerodynamics. The crumpled fairing was not considered a serious issue.
But analysis of the roll control problem likely will take several days. Rutan said he originally intended the next flight of SpaceShipOne to be the first launch in an attempt to win the Ansari X-Prize.
"We'll be looking at the data, we'll be looking at all the issues for the X-Prize attempts," he said. "When we go out for the X-Prize, we'll probably fly two flights within a week. ... So I would say in the next several days, we'll make a decision and then (inform the X-Prize organization) and that kicks off a 60-day clock at which point they'll announce to you when the time is.
"The only thing is, it can't happen any sooner than 62 days (from now)," Rutan said. "But if we decide we have a big safety issue with this actuator, for example, that may delay us until we can get it fixed. This was not a perfect flight. Then again, a lot of these things you can do within a 60-day window and easily fix them."
http://www.lescienze.it/index.php3?id=9249 (http://http://www.lescienze.it/index.php3?id=9249)
24.06.2004
Anomalie nel primo volo spaziale privato
Lo SpaceShipOne è stato il primo velivolo privato a uscire dall'atmosfera
Il viaggio del primo astronauta privato non è stato così perfetto come è sembrato inizialmente: durante il volo si sono verificati diversi problemi, alcuni dei quali potenzialmente catastrofici.
La rivelazione è stata fatta da Burt Rutan, progettista di SpaceShipOne, che lunedì 21 giugno era diventata la prima navetta finanziata da privati a raggiungere lo spazio. Fino a quando il team non comprenderà esattamente che cosa è andato storto durante il viaggio, non procederà con gli altri due voli necessari per reclamare il premio Ansari di 10 milioni di dollari.
Per fortuna, gli inconvenienti non hanno ostacolato il successo del volo. Ma il pilota Mike Melvill ha affermato che un malfunzionamento parziale del sistema che controlla l'orientamento della navetta avrebbe potuto rivelarsi disastroso se si fosse verificato qualche istante prima. Il problema si è manifestato al termine dei 70 secondi di accensione del motore del velivolo, proprio quando Melvill aveva appena raggiungo lo spazio. "Quando sono uscito dall'atmosfera - ha dichiarato alla rivista "New Scientist" e ad altri reporter - non avevo più controllo. Se fosse accaduto prima, non sarei certo sopravvissuto".
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