At 12:36 04 June 2004, Plasticguy wrote:

'Bob' wrote in message
. com...
Wouldn't that make the STS (a self launch glider)
the holder of the
altitude record?

Bob

No, but it might mean that a P-38 Lightning is a motorglider
since it has
been wave soared with both engines caged
for a couple hours.

Scott.




The Burt Rutan SpaceShip One looks very light weight,
so I would assume it has some modest glide performance...albeit
likely at a higher speed than what we are used to.

Bet if it ran into mountain wave on the way back down
from space, it could climb in the wave. That would
meet the definition of glider then.