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SpaceShipOne Makes History

Jun-21-2004 » Filed Under: Link of Interest

Sorry if this is completely unrelated, but I thought this was very cool.

[Link to Full Article] (Photos included)
By Leonard David, Senior Space Writer

MOJAVE, CALIFORNIA – The first non-governmental rocket ship flew to the edge of space today and was piloted to a safe landing on a desert airport runway here.

Civilian test pilot, now turned astronaut Mike Melvill brought SpaceShipOne down to the Mojave Airport tarmac after flying to 100 kilometers (62 miles) in altitude, leaving the Earth’s atmosphere during his history-making sub-orbital space ride.

After touchdown, Melvill rolled past thousands of spectators in the early morning Sun, flashing the thumbs up. Then he got out and spoke to the cheering crowd.

"The flight was spectacular," Melvill said. "Looking out that window, seeing the white clouds in the LA Basin, it looked like snow on the ground."

Take-off occurred at about 9:45 a.m. ET, or 6:45 a.m. local time, with SpaceShipOne tucked under the White Knight carrier craft.

Once set free an hour later, and after a few seconds of glide control at around 47,000 feet, 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.

"As I got to the top I released a bag of M&Ms in the cockpit. It was amazing," said Melvill, 62.

Visit the Tier One website to learn more about this project.


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