Rutan hits 200k feet! Almost there!

snip
Here are some pictures of todays flight on the Scaled Composites
website:

Not yet. Today was 14p, the pictures all still show last months
flight, 13P








http://www.scaled.com/projects/tiero...hotos_text.htm


Image of flight 13P boost from Chase aircraft video

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tiero...oost_alpha.jpg


Image of flight 13P boost from Edwards AFB ground radar facility

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tiero.../13p_boost.jpg



SpaceShipOne at apogee Note: RCS thruster firing on left wing.
Flight 13P

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tiero...p_rcs_tail.jpg


Image of transonic descent in feather configuration from Edwards AFG
ground radar facility Flight 13P

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tiero...3p_feather.jpg


SpaceShipOne re-entry - Flight 13P

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tiero...ather_tail.jpg


- Rusty Barton

"Thomas J. Paladino Jr." wrote in message
.. .
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4970837/


Exciting stuff!

Rutan's SpaceShipOne hit 200,000 feet today over their Mojave test site.


That last third of the flight is going to be tough. It took 55% fuel just to
reach 211,000 feet. Most of the remainder will be needed just to carry a
full load of fuel that high. Plus, there was only one person on board. To
get the X Prize, they have to carry three people.

Not only that, they have been managing only one Spaceship One flight every
couple of months (lately about one a month). They have made only three
powered flights. What do they need for the X Prize -- something like one
every two weeks, isn't it?

It may take a little while for them to get it all together, but they do
appear to be a lot closer.

C J Campbell wrote:

That last third of the flight is going to be tough.

I'm sure the first two thirds will be pretty tough as well.

It took 55% fuel just to reach 211,000 feet. Most of the remainder
will be needed just to carry a full load of fuel that high.
Plus, there was only one person on board. To
get the X Prize, they have to carry three people.

Don't worry about their mileage Mr. Cambell, I'm sure Burt Rutan
has a better idea of the fuel requirements than you do.

Not only that,

Gaaaaasssssssp....... You have more comments.

they have been managing only one Spaceship One flight every
couple of months (lately about one a month).

So what. Will NASA be able to match that this year

They have made only three powered flights.

So what...... That's three more than you will ever make now isn't it.

What do they need for the X Prize -- something like one
every two weeks, isn't it?

Beats me but I'll bet that Burt Rutan has a much better handle on what
the requirements are than you do..... So don't sweat the little details
that you will personally never have to be responsible for.

It may take a little while for them to get it all together, but they do
appear to be a lot closer.

How condescendingly generous you are.

"Aardvark" wrote in message
.. .
Steven P. McNicoll wrote:

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
news
1 meter = 3.2808398 feet

100 km = 328084 feet

Note the "N" number.
N328KF

Nice!

Paul

"C J Campbell" wrote in message
...

"Thomas J. Paladino Jr." wrote in message
.. .
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4970837/


Exciting stuff!

Rutan's SpaceShipOne hit 200,000 feet today over their Mojave test site.


That last third of the flight is going to be tough. It took 55% fuel just
to
reach 211,000 feet. Most of the remainder will be needed just to carry a
full load of fuel that high. Plus, there was only one person on board. To
get the X Prize, they have to carry three people.

Not only that, they have been managing only one Spaceship One flight every
couple of months (lately about one a month). They have made only three
powered flights. What do they need for the X Prize -- something like one
every two weeks, isn't it?

It may take a little while for them to get it all together, but they do
appear to be a lot closer.

http://www.xprize.org/

The news over here (UK) said it may be achieved some time later this year,
maybe August or September. It said the Rutan project was the leader, but
there are another two not too far behind.

Starchaser Industries weren't mentiond in the leading three, so I don't know
if they've fallen behind.
http://www.starchaser.co.uk/

Paul

Rusty Barton wrote in message . ..
On Thu, 13 May 2004 20:30:08 GMT, "Thomas J. Paladino Jr."
wrote:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4970837/



SpaceShipOne re-entry - Flight 13P



Speaking of Re-entry ain't the front of the craft a bit unprrotected
in that department?

"Shiver Me Timbers" wrote in message
...
C J Campbell wrote:

That last third of the flight is going to be tough.

How condescendingly generous you are.

Somebody step on your tail? It really is going to be tough. If Rutan were
attempting something easy, it wouldn't be worth all that attention, would
it? What, are you trying to belittle his accomplishments or what he is
trying to do?

"Prowlus" wrote in message
om...
Rusty Barton wrote in message
. ..
On Thu, 13 May 2004 20:30:08 GMT, "Thomas J. Paladino Jr."
wrote:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4970837/



SpaceShipOne re-entry - Flight 13P



Speaking of Re-entry ain't the front of the craft a bit unprrotected
in that department?

Its only doing about 2500 mph

Keith

Shiver Me Timbers wrote in news:140520040137084136%
:

How condescendingly generous you are.


How generously condescending you are.

--
Regards
Drewe
"Better the pride that resides
In a citizen of the world
Than the pride that divides
When a colourful rag is unfurled"

"Keith Willshaw" wrote in message
...

"Prowlus" wrote in message
om...
Rusty Barton wrote in message
. ..
On Thu, 13 May 2004 20:30:08 GMT, "Thomas J. Paladino Jr."
wrote:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4970837/



SpaceShipOne re-entry - Flight 13P



Speaking of Re-entry ain't the front of the craft a bit unprrotected
in that department?

Its only doing about 2500 mph

During this last flight it only reached Mach 2.5, and that was at 150,000
feet on the way up. Maximum speed on re-entry was only Mach 1.9. It looks
like Spaceship One goes through a lot more stress going up than it takes
coming back down.