Setback for Rutan

Note that they will have to make 2 more trips for the prize if they
miss the 2 week window. Still better to delay then risk life, limb,
and the hardware.

Peter Kemp wrote in message . ..
Looks like the flight did not go to plan.

According to BBC reports quoting Rutan there were severe control
problems that forced the pilot (ok, ok, astronaut) to resort to backup
controls just after boost (uncommanded roll) and again near Apogee
(nothing specific mentioned).

He says they're not flying again until they know what the hell
happened, and the next flight will not now be the first for the
X-Prize, but another test flight.

Can't say I blame him, and Starchaser (the next closest IIRC) are 18
months away, so time isn't that critical.

Peter Kemp

"miso" wrote in message
om...

Note that they will have to make 2 more trips for the prize if they
miss the 2 week window. Still better to delay then risk life, limb,
and the hardware.


They have to make at least two more trips for the prize regardless of
anything else, as they have yet to make a single qualifying flight.

From: "Steven P. McNicoll"
Date: 6/23/2004 5:49 AM Central Daylight Time
Message-id: .net


"miso" wrote in message
. com...

Note that they will have to make 2 more trips for the prize if they
miss the 2 week window. Still better to delay then risk life, limb,
and the hardware.


They have to make at least two more trips for the prize regardless of
anything else, as they have yet to make a single qualifying flight.

How did this one not qualify?

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

On 23 Jun 2004 21:54:57 GMT, (B2431) wrote:

From: "Steven P. McNicoll"
Date: 6/23/2004 5:49 AM Central Daylight Time
Message-id: .net


"miso" wrote in message
.com...

Note that they will have to make 2 more trips for the prize if they
miss the 2 week window. Still better to delay then risk life, limb,
and the hardware.


They have to make at least two more trips for the prize regardless of
anything else, as they have yet to make a single qualifying flight.

How did this one not qualify?

Not high enough and did not carry 3 humans (although I think 2 of the
"passengers" can be weighted dummies.

Peter Kemp

In article ,
Peter Kemp writes:
On 23 Jun 2004 21:54:57 GMT, (B2431) wrote:

From: "Steven P. McNicoll"
Date: 6/23/2004 5:49 AM Central Daylight Time
Message-id: .net


"miso" wrote in message
e.com...

Note that they will have to make 2 more trips for the prize if they
miss the 2 week window. Still better to delay then risk life, limb,
and the hardware.


They have to make at least two more trips for the prize regardless of
anything else, as they have yet to make a single qualifying flight.

How did this one not qualify?

Not high enough and did not carry 3 humans (although I think 2 of the
"passengers" can be weighted dummies.

The flight was high enough - IIRC, the apogee was 100.125 km, so they had
1/8 of a km in the bag. (Not enough really, you wnat to have more in
the case of an instrumentation hiccup)

In order to qualigy as an X-Prize flight, it has to be carrying
ballast equivalent to two passengers (And no, you don't get to pick
the passengers, it's a specified weight), and the flight has to have
been pre-announced by 30 days, with another flight following within 14
days.
This flight wasn't intended to be an X-Prize flight, but a test
flight. Burt Rutan's been running an orderly and reaosonable test
program, taking each stage in bite-sized increments, and resolving
problems as he goes. (His normal approach) There hasn't yet been the
30 day pre-boarding call.

--
Pete Stickney
A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many
bad measures. -- Daniel Webster

"Peter Kemp" wrote in message
...

Not high enough and did not carry 3 humans (although I think 2 of the
"passengers" can be weighted dummies.


It was high enough but did not carry the two passengers/ballast.

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 02:14:44 GMT, "Steven P. McNicoll"
wrote:


"Peter Kemp" wrote in message
.. .

Not high enough and did not carry 3 humans (although I think 2 of the
"passengers" can be weighted dummies.


It was high enough but did not carry the two passengers/ballast.

Sorry for some reason I had 120km in mind - checking I am wrong
(again!)

Peter Kemp

In article , Peter Kemp
wrote:

On 23 Jun 2004 21:54:57 GMT, (B2431) wrote:

From: "Steven P. McNicoll"
Date: 6/23/2004 5:49 AM Central Daylight Time
Message-id: .net


"miso" wrote in message
.com...

Note that they will have to make 2 more trips for the prize if they
miss the 2 week window. Still better to delay then risk life, limb,
and the hardware.


They have to make at least two more trips for the prize regardless of
anything else, as they have yet to make a single qualifying flight.

How did this one not qualify?

Not high enough and did not carry 3 humans (although I think 2 of the
"passengers" can be weighted dummies.

Would political candidates qualify as the latter, and would they have to
be returned to earth? I see a new industry...

"B2431" wrote in message
...

How did this one not qualify?


The X Prize flights require three people aboard or a pilot and ballast
equivalent to two people. Melvill flew solo and carried no ballast.