Space Ship One Launch

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message
...


Jim Thomas wrote:

I noted from the TV news reports that Mr. Melville was wearing only a
flight suit and an oxygen mask (no full or partial pressure suit).
Does anyone know whether the cockpit was pressurized? If not (and even
if so) this was pretty risky.

If he wasn't in a pressure suit, the cabin had to have been pressurized or
he would
not have been able to survive.

During the post event news conference, I asked those questions. Mr.
Melvill's responses we no, he does not wear anything other than flight
suit, helmet, and parachute; yes, the cabin is pressurized [to 14 psi]; it
is tested at 34 psi for a number of hours; the only leaks are at control
interfaces and they are tiny; one pre-launch check item is cracking open a
valve from an air-bottle to trickle air into the cabin. He said the dual
pane windows and tight fit of the door are excellent and he does not
consider depressurization a risk to consider.