Date Set For Private Space Launch(SpaceShipOne from Scaled Composites)

BBC NEWS ^ | 06/02/04 | Dr David Whitehouse

[TigerLikesRooster]

Date set for private space launch

By Dr David Whitehouse
BBC News Online science editor

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SpaceShipOne could make aviation history

Scaled Composites, the company behind the first private manned spacecraft, will launch it into space on 21 June carrying an as yet unnamed astronaut. SpaceShipOne is built by aerospace pioneer Burt Rutan who hopes to win the Ansari X-prize of $10m (£5.7m) for the first private flight into space.

The craft has to reach an altitude of 100km (329,000ft) twice in two weeks to win.

A total of 25 other teams across the world are competing for the prize.

First private astronaut

SPACE FLIGHT ATTEMPT

SpaceShipOne boosts itself into the atmosphere

It aims for an altitude of 100km (62 miles)

Wings fold up to provide "feather" effect

Converts back to non-feathered glider

Why is the X-Prize so important?

In an impressive demonstration over Mojave airport last month, SpaceShipOne and its carrier aircraft White Knight moved a step closer to claiming the X-prize when pilot Mike Melvill took the vehicle nearer to space than any non-governmental manned craft has been before.

Its 64km (211,000ft) altitude was twice as high as SpaceShipOne had been piloted to before.

To win the Ansari X-Prize, that altitude - 100km (329,000ft), the official boundary of space - has to be reached twice in two-weeks by a three-man spacecraft.

SpaceShipOne's 14 shakedown tests have now put it into a position to make the bid for space.

Burt Rutan's company Scaled Composites has already become the first non-governmental body to be granted a launch licence when the US Federal Aviation Authority gave it one on 1 April.

The X-prize will mark a new era in manned spaceflight when private companies are able to make short sub-orbital hops for paying customers.

It is hoped that a market for space tourism can be developed. But in reality, only a very few rich passengers will be able to be carried into space by one or two companies for the foreseeable future.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[cripplecreek]

More proof that private space flight is the way to go. The Govt has fallen flat in that department. It's interesting that it only took 66 years to go from the Wright brothers first flight, to a moon landing. In the 40 years since, we've built space shuttles that don't shuttle much of anything.

Our robotic explorations have been a little more optimistic.

[USMMA_83]

I am in complete awe of Burt Rutan. He's amazing!!

[Bobby777]

well, technically, it was only 12 years after the Moon landing to have the first practical resuable spacecraft capable of ascent and a rolling landing (69 to 81) ... but the mistakes were serious, especially when so basic in nature ...

if Rutan can carry a 40,000lb+ satellite to a 500-mile orbit, he'll get a lot of business from the U.S. military ... of course, we haven't had the spectacular Titan failures like the mid-1980's that I recall, lately ...

[Boot Hill]

"A total of 25 other teams across the world are competing for the prize."

There supposed to be 26 teams, but they refused to accept my entry of a coal-powered ultra light! Something about environmental problems from all the smoke!

Interesting story, TLR, hope they are successful. However, there is a whopping big energy difference between shooting up 62 miles versus doing the same thing while accelerating to 17,000 mph horizontally to orbit. For example, the WW-II Nazi V-2 rocket regularly made it to that altitude, and that was way back in 1944.

--Boot Hill

[RightWhale]

The only reason the private sector isn't building bases on the moon is that there is no provision for private property in outer space. Private sector, private property. Private sector, private property.

[bvw]

Hooray! And godspeed to projects like this -- uplifting in so many ways, yet not without a risk too.

[RightWhale]

Right. People don't always get the idea of the size of the Space Shuttle. Imagine an ordinary noisy, stinky diesel city bus full of passengers. Imagine a pile of eight city buses on top of a rocket about to be launched. Gives new meaning to the word launched. Rutan will launch a taxi.

[Bobby777]

yeah I think a KH-12-type spy bird is about the size of a city bus or so ... at least in weight ... and then there's the problem of retrieving a dead or crippled bird ... only the shuttle can do that (and only in near-Earth orbit) ... DSP's, and listening birds are out of luck if they break ... I think the max altitude on the Shuttle is 500 or maybe 650 miles ...

[RightWhale]

For the proposed moon program I think they should keep the idea of the Space Shuttle. The old birds need to be replaced with modern, but the idea of a surface to orbit and back shuttle is still good. Then a shuttle to go from earth orbit to lunar orbit should be built. Regular ferry service would be the goal. There could also be a lunar orbit to lunar surface shuttle, but this is not a big deal and could be ignored. The LEO to lunar orbit shuttle would probably be a strange looking thing, but all it would need is fuel and cargo to keep operating forever. Some kind of open truss frame with attach points all over. BTW, the moon program for the next 15 years should cost about $64 billion, not the $500 billion the detractors claim, latest NASA estimate.