SpaceShipOne Breaks the Sound Barrier

Scaled Composite Press Release ^ | December 17th, 2003

[Frank_Discussion]

SpaceShipOne Breaks the Sound Barrier

Today, a significant milestone was achieved by Scaled Composites: The first manned supersonic flight by an aircraft developed by a small company's private, non-government effort.

In 1947, fifty-six years ago, history's first supersonic flight was flown by Chuck Yeager in the Bell X-1 rocket under a U.S. Government research program. Since then, many supersonic aircraft have been developed for research, military and, in the case of the recently retired Concorde, commercial applications. All these efforts were developed by large aerospace prime companies, using extensive government resources.

Our flight this morning by SpaceShipOne demonstrated that supersonic flight is now the domain of a small company doing privately-funded research, without government help. The flight also represents an important milestone in our efforts to demonstrate that truly low-cost space access is feasible.

Our White Knight turbojet launch aircraft, flown by Test Pilot Peter Siebold, carried research rocket plane SpaceShipOne to 48,000 feet altitude, near the desert town of California City. At 8:15 a.m. PDT, Cory Bird, the White Knight Flight Engineer, pulled a handle to release SpaceShipOne. SpaceShipOne Test Pilot, Brian Binnie then flew the ship to a stable, 0.55 mach gliding flight condition, started a pull-up, and fired its hybrid rocket motor. Nine seconds later, SpaceShipOne broke the sound barrier and continued its steep powered ascent. The climb was very aggressive, accelerating forward at more than 3-g while pulling upward at more than 2.5-g. At motor shutdown, 15 seconds after ignition, SpaceShipOne was climbing at a 60-degree angle and flying near 1.2 Mach (930 mph). Brian then continued the maneuver to a vertical climb, achieving zero speed at an altitude of 68,000 feet. He then configured the ship in its high-drag "feathered" shape to simulate the condition it will experience when it enters the atmosphere after a space flight. At apogee, SpaceShipOne was in near-weightless conditions, emulating the characteristics it will later encounter during the planned space flights in which it will be at zero-g for more than three minutes. After descending in feathered flight for about a minute, Brian reconfigured the ship to its conventional glider shape and flew a 12-minute glide to landing at Scaled's home airport of Mojave. The landing was not without incident as the left landing gear retracted at touchdown causing the ship to veer to the left and leave the runway with its left wing down. Damage from the landing incident was minor and will easily be repaired. There were no injuries.

The milestone of private supersonic flight was not an easy task. It involved the development of a new propulsion system, the first rocket motor developed for manned space flights in several decades. The new hybrid motor was developed in-house at Scaled with first firings in November 2002. The motor uses an ablative nozzle supplied by AAE and operating components supplied by SpaceDev. FunTech teamed with Scaled to develop a new Inertial Navigation flight director. The first flight of the White Knight launch aircraft was in August 2002 and SpaceShipOne began its glide tests in August 2003.

Scaled does not pre-announce the specific flight test plans for its manned space program, however completed accomplishments are updated as they happen at our website: http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/index.htm. The website also provides downloadable photos and technical descriptions of the rocket motor system and motor test hardware.

Scaled Composites, LLC, is an aerospace research company located on the Mojave Airport: 1624 Flight Line, Mojave California 93501 Voice (661) 824-4541 Fax (661) 824-4174 Email: info@scaled.com

[Lokibob]

I know exactly how he felt.

Years ago, I was a weather observer in White Sands Missile Range and was assigned to cover a missile firing by measuring the winds up range for a Little Joe 2 mission. The mission was a success, and a few years later, the Little Joe 2 rocket was the escape rocket for the Apollo missions (thankfully, never needed). Still, to this day, I consider that I had a hand in making the Apollo a success.

[HamiltonJay]

Brett,

I really hate to be the one to break this to you, but in 20-30 years we'll be entering space by elevators, not rockets, and it will be government programs and large efforts that do it. Perhaps you should read up on the space elevator project. It is going to reduce the cost of access to space a thousand fold, will not rely on chemical rockets.

I have nothing against anyone who wants to build a private rocket, but the reality is the age of the Rocket as a means of getting into space is at its tail end. Certainly by my granchildrens time, it will likely be the rarity that rocket propulsion will be used to lift cargo or man into orbit.

[HamiltonJay]

Reducing the cost of space access is already well underway, and its called the Space Elevator project, and it is being funded by Nasa and other organizations and will likely be reality within the next 30 years it will reduce space access by a thousand times its current cost per ton or more. Rocket propulsion to space is facing the tale end of the curve. Certainly by my grandchildrens time rockets to access space will be the exception.

You really should do some reading on the Space Elevator project, no rocket powered system will be able to remotely compete on price with it once it is built... oh and just for the record it will be built by large research and development investments, not by a small private company.

Go do some research on it, you'll see that the age of the rocket at least as far as the primary means of space launch is coming to an end and very likely within the 30 year or so time frame.

[Brett66]

I'm well aware of the recent attempts at bringing the space elevator into reality. There are still technical obstacles to overcome, chiefly the large scale production of carbon nanotubes. This will take some time to figure out, why wait for a possible means to space? Rutan and others will be in space in a few months, paying passengers will soon follow.The space elevator can't beat that timetable.

We need many ways of getting to space, not just one killer approach. The space elevator is limited in some ways that spacecraft won't be. They can complement one another. The thing I like most about a cheap TSTO or SSTO rocket is that they're ready to fly now, not at some future date when we have a "super material". But when that time comes, let's do that too.

[Doc On The Bay]

..."own shares..."

Where do I "Sign Up??"

Doc

[farmfriend]

Thanks for the ping. Cool.

[itsahoot]

The Wright Flyer repro non-flight was a bummer. But Rutan makes up for it!

I met Burt Rutan at a fly-in at Pittsurg Kansas, about 30 years ago, he was flying his VariViggen, an all metal experimental. I was flying my rebuilt 1941 BC-12D Taylorcraft.:)

His brother used to post here, but I forget his handle.

[NormsRevenge]

Cool stuff, Thanks! ran across this.

Flight test of space plane ends with crash landing in Mojave

The Bakersfield Californian

Posted: Wednesday December 17th, 2003, 11:52 AM
Last Updated: Wednesday December 17th, 2003, 11:52 AM

MOJAVE - The first full in-flight test firing of the rocket engines on Burt Rutan’s newest creation was successful Wednesday, but the flight ended in near-disaster when one of the plane’s landing gear struts collapsed on landing.

The craft skidded off the runway at Mojave Airport and was damaged, although how severely isn’t yet known. The pilot, who wasn’t identified, was not injured, the Kern County Sheriff’s Department reported.

The aircraft, dubbed SpaceShip One, is designed to carry three people into low-Earth orbit. Rutan’s Scaled Composites Inc. hopes SpaceShip One will be the first craft providing private space flights.

SpaceShip One is carried aloft by a mother ship, and then released.

[GeronL]

Its designed for space, but only suborbital

[GeronL]

This is hardly an example of private industry "CREATING" new technology

when did government build a spacecraft (suborbital) that is designed to be reusable every 2 weeks? (that IS the plan)

[GeronL]

Very cool! It would be fun and educational to have a SpaceShipOne flight sim on one's own pc

Well now, if they need some extra funding... you might have just found it.

[GeronL]

#56

Oh cool!

[GeronL]

#56

In addition, this is historic because it is the first human flight ever powered by hybrid rocket technology, and SpaceDev is proud to be leading the way, by providing critical hybrid motor components and technology to Scaled.

[GeronL]

These have been fixed and the nose-up stall and flat spin should not happen during normal flight. It apparently flies like a badminton bird

That would be an improvement since people say the space shuttle flies like a brick.

[GeronL]

The only elements manufactured for each flight are the ET's components.

Actually the boosters are totally rebuilt for each mission. very costly.

[GeronL]

The space elevator is a lot farther than 30 years away

[bonesmccoy]

the booster segments are reused.

They are NOT new hardware like the ET is.

[GeronL]

but the SRB's are totally rebuilt. It was proposed years and tears ago to give them a brain and wings and let them glide back for a runway landing. Less muss, less fuss... but it'll probably take private enterprise to do this.

[BurbankKarl]

bttt ping

MOJAVE, Calif. & SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 17, 2003--
Allen Sponsors Scaled Composites' Cutting-Edge X-Prize Entry, Attends Today's Successful Test Flight of the First Manned Privately Funded Supersonic Aircraft


Investor Paul G. Allen today confirmed international speculation that he is the long-rumored sponsor behind the innovative SpaceShipOne project, which broke the sound barrier today during its first manned test flight. SpaceShipOne and its White Knight turbojet launch aircraft represent the first private non-government effort to demonstrate a low-cost manned space effort. SpaceShipOne is a contender for the coveted X-prize.

"Being able to watch today's successful test flight in person was really an overwhelming and awe-inspiring experience. I'm so proud to be able to support the work of Burt Rutan and his pioneering team at Scaled Composites," said Paul G. Allen, who has funded the effort since he and Rutan joined forces in March of 2001. "As we celebrate the centennial of flight, it's wonderful to be able to capture the spirit of innovation and exploration 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."

"Today's milestone and the SpaceShipOne project would never have been possible without Paul's tremendous support," said Burt Rutan, the acclaimed inventor and aerospace engineer who leads the project along with his research and development team at Scaled Composites, which Rutan founded. "Paul shares our energy and passion for not only supporting one-of-a-kind research, but also a vision of how this kind of space program can shape the future and inspire people around the world."

For details about today's test flight, including specifications on speed, altitude, etc., visit www.scaled.com.

For details about the X-prize visit www.xprize.com.

ABOUT PAUL G. ALLEN

Paul G. Allen owns and invests in a suite of companies exploring the potential of digital communications. Allen's business strategy includes encouraging communication and synergy between his portfolio companies for mutual benefit in the areas of technology, new media, biotechnology, entertainment, telecommunications and entertainment. His primary companies include Vulcan Inc. of Seattle and Charter Communications of St. Louis, the nation's fourth-largest cable provider. Allen is owner of the Portland Trail Blazers NBA team and the Seattle Seahawks NFL franchise, and a partner in the entertainment studio DreamWorks SKG. 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. Allen gives back to the community through the six Paul G. Allen Charitable Foundations, which support arts, health and human services, medical research, and forest protection in the Pacific Northwest. He is also the founder of Experience Music Project, Seattle's critically-acclaimed interactive music museum, the forthcoming Experience Science Fiction Museum and Vulcan Productions, the independent film production company. For more information about Paul G. Allen visit www.vulcan.com

ABOUT SCALED COMPOSITES

Scaled Composites, LLC is an aerospace research company located on Mojave Airport.

[185JHP]

Until the tail fell off and it crashed.